The Arrival
by RainbowDrop
Summary: Falling in love is never easy. Of course, it's especially hard when the one you love doesn't even exist! But for MC, the real, live MC of this world, that's about to become a whole other kind of difficult. If two people were meant to be together, would even a screen be enough to keep them apart? And what challenges would face them once they're finally together for real?
1. Chapter 1 Arrival

Chapter 1  
Arrival

It was a day like any other as the girl lay curled up on her bed, phone in hand. The same app as always beamed through her screen and lit up her wide eyed face. Her friend online had recommended it to her a little over a week ago. At first she had been skeptical that it wasn't really as great as the internet made it out to be. However, it hadn't taken long for her addiction to take hold. It seemed in this case the internet had been right for once.

A picture of a blond haired man with bandages across his left eye shown on the screen, his lips pressed against the mouth of a brunette woman in a red dress who's eyes were hidden from view. Small tears pooled in the corner of the girls eyes and she smiled down at her phone. There were so many emotions racing through her. Happiness, fulfillment, adoration, respect, all of these feelings swam around inside her as her cheeks reddened.

Kicking her legs up in the air, the girl let out a happy squee as the words 'good ending' flashed up at her. It had taken eleven sleepless days but she had finally done it. So many nights spent waiting for those 3am chats. Just as many mornings waking just as the sun began to rise to send her love off to school. She couldn't help but smile wide as she hugged her phone tightly to her chest. Not a bit of regret tinged her happy moment.

"Oh he's so cute!" She laughed to herself, smiling up at the ceiling. A feeling of satisfaction filled her chest only to be replaced with a sense of longing shortly after. Her eyes flickered down back to her phone where the main menu of Mystic Messenger greeted her from the screen.

It was hard for her to believe it was already over after playing for so long. She let out a small sigh as she reminisced about the past week and a half. Every cute chat and phone call flew through her mind and she covered her face with a blush, shaking her head in delight. Why did he have to be so cute? She couldn't stand it!

It was then that a sudden small alarm broke her from her cheerful display. A pout puckered her lips as she looked over to her clock ringing away on her nightstand. It was already 1 o'clock. How time flew when you were engrossed in the object of your affection.

With a flick of the wrist she quieted the incessant ringing of the alarm. As much as she'd rather stay in bed all day on her phone it was time for her to get ready for work. Her thoughts of Yoosung would unfortunately have to wait. Why was being an adult so inconvenient at times?

"Keep those orders coming!"

"We need more napkins at table 14!"

"MC are you sure you can hold all of those? Do you need help?"

The girl smiled at her coworker reassuringly, adjusting the plates in her arms. She was more than used to carrying dozens of dirty dishes throughout the day. Though that didn't stop people from asking occasionally.

"Don't worry. I got it, really." MC insisted, making her way to deposit them into the dishwasher in the back of the kitchen. It seemed like every day the same guy was always trying to ask if she needed help. If she wasn't so patient it would've annoyed her, but seeing as he was new she couldn't find it in her heart to fault him. He obviously meant well.

After depositing the dishes she made her way back out onto the floor. The table she had been serving had finally left and she needed to clean up the rest of the mess for the next customers before her lunch break. A small grimace laced her lips as she saw the two singles laid atop the table among the crumbs and spilled sauces. She knew better than to hope for more but something inside her always hurt whenever she got a tip so low. Had she done something wrong? Or perhaps her service wasn't up to par. Regardless of the matter her shoulders sunk as she collected the money, shoving it into her apron pocket.

Once the table was spotless MC made her way into the back to find her manager and let them know she was going to lunch. With the staff notified and her lunch bag in hand she headed outside, making a beeline for the bench over next to the trees. The shade always helped cool her down after all the running she had to do all day. As soon as she sat down she let out a sigh of relief.

A small buzz from her pocket made her jump in place. Excitedly pulling out her phone she expected to see a notification from Mystic Messenger alerting her to a new chat room. Another chance to talk with Yoosung. It was only after she read the notification that her lips bent into a frown. It was just a bank notification.

MC placed her hands over her face and rubbed her cheeks. Did she really forget she finished the game already? It had been just this morning and it still was all she had on her mind. She couldn't help it. Even during her shift she felt her mind wander back to the blonde haired purple eyed angel of her heart. Sure, he was just a character from a game, but she couldn't help but feel something more for him. She had never had a boyfriend before, or even a crush on a real person, but she figured this was as close as she was going to get. There's no way anyone could ever be more perfect than him.

Yoosung. He was so sweet. So caring and funny. How would she ever manage to find someone like him? There was no one like him in her life so she couldn't help but obsess over him. Why couldn't he just be here with her? If only he were real.

The idea replayed again. What if he were real? A smile melted onto MC's face as she let herself slip into a daydream. She imagined what it would be like if he were here right now on the bench with her. She could lean up against him, her head on his shoulder while she talked about how her day was going. He would listen, maybe compliment how well of a job she does and make her feel better after she mentions how the customers treat her. She would in turn listen to him talk about his game and how his guild was doing. Flattery would get her anywhere with him and she would love to make him blush. She would tell him how cool she thought he was. He would stutter at first before growing confident and she would smile. Then maybe, just maybe, she would look up at him and their eyes would meet. She would feel her heart rate quicken and electricity build in her belly as she stared up into those big purple eyes of his. Her cheeks would flush as he held her gaze, eyes flickering down to her lips. The attraction between them would become magnetic, sparks filling the air, and she would feel herself leaning in. Their eyes would grow heavy as the distance between their lips grew shorter and shorter until finally-

"Uh, MC what are you doing?" Came a voice suddenly.

"Huh, what?" said MC, jerked forcibly from her thoughts as the once blushing puckered face of Yoosung was wiped away to reveal the face of her friend. Her face reddened and she smiled sheepishly. She hoped she hadn't been making a weird face again.

"You were making a weird face again" said the other girl, looking a tad concerned.

Damn it

"Oh uh, I was just uh, thinking was all.." said MC nervously. She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment as her giggling friend sat beside her.

"Were you thinking about that dumb game again?" Her friend laughed. "It looked like you were about to start making out with the air. What, you fantasizing about that character Yoosing again?" She finished, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"His name is YooSUNG. And no, Rachael, I was thinking about other stuff..." MC said, trailing off. Her voice didn't even sound convincing to herself. Rachael just rolled her eyes and snickered, swallowing her food.

"Yeah, yeah okay lover-girl whatever you say. Hey, so you got any plans tonight? Everyone's gonna head out for drinks do you wanna come?" Rachael asked nonchalantly, taking another bite of her sandwich before reaching for her water. MC's eyes trailed away from her friend and she bit her lip. She didn't really like drinking, it always just made her feel depressed. Plus, the way things were going today, what with her lousy tips and the notification from the bank, she didn't think she could really afford to go out anytime soon.

"No, that's okay. I uh, had stuff to do when I got home tonight anyway. Maybe next time." She said, reaching for her lunch bag and pulling out the salad she had packed late the night before. Her friend gave her a knowing look before facing back towards the restaurant.

"You always say that. I told you if you need me to pay or something I don't mind-" She started, but MC cut her off.

"No! No that's not it, I really do have stuff to do! Like, laundry and stuff. It's fine." She insisted. She didn't like the idea of her friend spending even more money on her. She felt in dept enough to her as it was. It always made her feel guilty to never have enough money to pay her back.

Rachael studied her face for a moment before giving in.

"Okay, okay I get it. You don't have to get so defensive." Said Rachael before tossing her friend a package of fruit snacks. MC fumbled with it before almost dropping it onto the ground, much to her friend's enjoyment.

"And if you just wanna play that game of yours too that's fine. Don't have to make up stories." Rachael snickered. MC's face reddened a bit.

"I actually beat that game this morning, unfortunately. I don't have enough hourglasses for the after end yet... I couldn't stop buying phone calls." She said, looking disappointed in herself.

"You're hopeless you know that?" Rachael laughed, giving her friend a playful shove.

"Yeah, I know." MC said with a smile.

As soon as she reached the comfort of her apartment MC found herself face first into the couch. The fabric was a little rough but she didn't care. She was just happy to be home again and away from the chaos that was her job.

Rolling to her side, she pulled out her phone. A picture of Yoosung smiling brightly met her eyes and she smiled back. Now that she was home she could use her phone as much as she wanted to. No orders to take or pesky tables to be cleaned. This was her relaxation time.

Before she knew what she was doing she found herself back inside the Mystic Messenger app. She blinked a few times in surprise, not having realized she had even pressed the app. Her fingers must have developed some kind of muscle memory she wasn't aware of. Of course, hearing the familiar smooth jazz along with her favorite person's voice greeting her kept her attention.

Her thumb hovered over the original story button, debating on whether or not to maybe start the game over again. She cursed herself silently. As curious about the rest of the story line as she was, something inside her urged her not to press the button. She didn't think she would be able to bear playing anyone else's route. It was probably unhealthy but she really did have a great deal of affection for her favorite game character. It would almost feel like... cheating... if she were to play the game for anyone else.

It sounded crazy, but to her, it felt much more personal than a game. She felt such a connection to this character that she just couldn't seem to let go of. Maybe she did need to get out more. Still, she couldn't be the only person alive to have fallen head over heels for a character in a story.

After much deliberation she found herself looking in the games photo album. She smiled, looking over all the pictures of her crush she had acquired. He really was adorable. What she wouldn't do to squeeze those cheeks or kiss that nose. She wondered vaguely what he might smell like. What kind of shampoo would he use? Whatever it was she bet it would be the best thing she ever smelled.

Speaking of his hair, she wondered what it might feel like. Would it be soft and fine or thick and coarse? It looked so fluffy but it could be from gel or something else. She wouldn't mind though. It would be perfect to her no matter what. He was perfect. More perfect than any guy she'd ever met.

It's too bad he wasn't real.

Her heart sank. That was right, he wasn't real. No matter how hard she wished it she knew in the back of her mind that she was being silly. No matter how giddy he made her feel he was nothing but some text and pictures inside her phone. Even his voice, his cute sometimes whining adorable voice, was just some other person's pretending to be him. A pit formed in her stomach.

MC clutched her phone tightly to her chest and sat up, her eyes clamped shut. Her insides tightened and she fought back a sob. But what did it matter? There was no one in the house to hear her. She had been alone for so long it's not like anyone would care if she cried. To cry over something so ridiculous however...

Something inside her broke and that was it. Before she could stop herself the tears started rolling down her cheeks as she hugged her phone tightly. She wished she had someone to hold her. Someone to tell her she wasn't weird for feeling this way. Someone to tell her that her life would get better and she wouldn't always be stuck like she was. Her sobs echoed quietly throughout the house and through the sound she knew there was no one.

A sudden vibration caused her to choke back her tears, holding her phone up to her face. Through her blurry vision she saw the faint outlines of a chat screen. Had she accidentally opened the original story while she was crying?

Using her sleeve, she wiped her face before looking back at her phone. A starry night sky background and a text from "unknown" met her eyes. It seemed she had unknowingly clicked her way back into the story mode. She sniffed before reaching to the answer button. If anything else maybe replaying the game would make her feel better. She could always redo Yoosung's route anyway. Even if she knew what would happen it would be better than what she had right now. She wanted to talk to him again.

"?" MC selected from the options. Just as before the same texts from before replayed again. As she went through the motions something strange caught her eye. Strange symbols had started mixing themselves into the words as the texts kept appearing. Had this been part of the prologue last time she played? She didn't remember anything like this happening.

She thumbed the answer button once more and was shocked to find even her own answers were corrupted with the same weird font and symbols. Everything on the page was illegible and she swore she saw some of the letters almost appear to vibrate. Maybe there was a bug.

Deciding that she should probably email Cheritz about the weirdness happening to her game she clicked the home button on her phone. Except, much to her surprise, nothing happened. Convinced her phone had froze because of the bug she tried the power button instead. She was starting to get nervous, she hoped it hadn't corrupted her game. She would be beyond devastated if anything happened to her memories with Yoosung on the app. As much as she wanted to play his route again she didn't want all of her hard work and proof of her affection to disappear.

She soon found herself frustrated and a small sting of panic jolted her insides when her phone refused to turn off. It seemed every button on her phone refused to work. A cold sweat overtook her as she frantically began fiddling with her phone in vain.

"Hey what's going on?" She said with a cry. " No no no, please don't mess up! No I need him to stay on here don't mess up!"

All of a sudden her phone vibrated, yanking her back from her oncoming anxiety attack. Then it vibrated again. A confused look crossed her face. Was her phone going to explode or something?

A harsh never-ending vibration sent her into a fit as her phone burned her palm. With a loud thump the phone hit the wooden floor, vibrating and moving around like it had inexplicably become possessed. MC let out a small shriek of surprise before jumping over the back of her couch to hide behind it. Her phone was making the loudest noise as it rumbled against the floorboards before a high pitched whistle pierced the air.

This was it she was going to die. Her phone was going to explode and she was going to die.

A sharp blinding light flashed through the room as an explosion sounded. Everything shook around her as a crash echoed from across the room. Then, just as quickly as it had begun everything came to a stop. An eerie quiet settled into the air.

MC shivered as she slowly uncovered her head and looked around from behind the couch. Everything was dark. A dim light flickered back into view as the lights came back on inside the living room. What she saw made her gasp.

Black smoke slowly rose up off of the floor, uncovering her very broken, very shattered phone. So it had blown up. She shrunk a bit to think what would have happened if she had still been near when it had exploded. However, it wasn't just the phone that caught her eye. There was something against the wall that wasn't there before the fiasco. As the smoke cleared she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

First a pair of brown shoes and pants came into view. There was a person on her floor? Who on earth could possibly be inside her home? No one had come in since she'd been home and she was about 10 stories up in the air. There's no way someone could have just come in through the window. Had someone been in her house while she was gone and she hadn't realized it? Did her phone just kill a burglar?

As she watched from behind the couch more of the strange figure was revealed. Long brown pants met a striped white shirt and a blue short sleeve jacket. Up even higher, head slumped over seemingly passed out against the wall, was a messy mop of golden hair. MC's throat tightened and her eyes widened. No. No it couldn't be. What was she thinking?

"Uuuuuuugh. Ooow... What happened?" A small voice croaked from the other side of the room. MC's eyes widened further and she shrunk behind the couch more, reaching around until she could grasp onto something. Her hand found a hairbrush she had left on the table next to the couch. She gripped it tightly and kept her eyes above the couch, staring at the intruder.

Slowly, the stranger shifted and lifted their head, opening their eyes groggily. Bright purple orbs focused steadily onto the girl behind the couch. MC ducked quickly as her heart hammered in her chest, breathing shakily.

"I-I have a weapon! A-and I'm uh, not afraid to use it! So... stay where you are burglar!" She shouted fearfully, grimacing behind the couch. They were going to see right through her.

"Wh-what? N-no wait, please don't!" Said a familiar voice. MC's stomach jumped as a thought flashed through her mind but shook her head. Her brain was just playing tricks on her because her emotions were fried. That was the only explanation.

After a moment of silence the voice spoke again.

"Really, I have no idea what's going on. Who are you? Where am I? I don't understand what's happening. I was just trying to log into my messenger to talk with my friends and everything just went black. I swear I'm telling the truth!" The voice said urgently. He really sounded sincere but MC wasn't willing to risk any chances.

"This is my home! You tell me who you are first and what you're doing here!" She said, feeling her confidence growing slightly.

"M-my name's Yoosung! Yoosung Kim! But I really don't know- I don't know how I got here. Please, you've got to believe me!" Cried the voice again. MC blinked in disbelief. Who did this person think they were? Had they been hacking into her things and were trying to pose as a character to try to soften her up or something? Who does that? Did they really expect that to work?

"Liar!" She shouted before standing up. "You're lying! There's no such thing... as... you.." but that was all she could say. Standing before her was what looked like a perfect replica of the man of her dreams. Her mouth slacked as she stared at the supposed stranger.

The blonde man looked at her with urgency, eyeing the hairbrush in her hand she had been wielding like a bat only a moment ago. He looked absolutely terrified.

"I'm not lying, my name is Yoosung. I go to Sky University, I'm just a college student! I swear I'm not a burglar! Please, I can't hit a woman so please don't attack me. I promise I'm not going to do anything." He said, his voice shaking as he tried to remain calm. The girl merely continued to stare at him. Her face was one of shock and looked as if she was trying to speak. No matter how much she moved her mouth nothing seemed to come out.

MC's eyes flickered from the man down to her shattered phone. No. It couldn't possibly be. No, that's not possible. That couldn't happen. Yoosung, the real living breathing Yoosung, was standing in front of her. She knew it must be a ruse. She knew she shouldn't fall for it. But there was something about this stranger that felt so familiar to her.

The hair, the clothes, the voice. Everything matched so perfectly. And those eyes. Those great, big, beautiful purple eyes. There was no way anyone could really have those color eyes. No matter how hard she looked she couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't contacts. They looked so natural.

That's it, she was going crazy. She finally cracked. This was it. Her phone exploded and now she was hallucinating that the character she loved had just materialized out of her phone and into her living room. That's it. Of course that was the most reasonable option. She let out a small laugh.

"Um... hello?" Said the Yoosung look alike. It seemed MC couldn't take anymore of the situation at hand however and, within mere seconds, toppled over behind the couch and out of sight.

The man just stood still, a look of surprise and worry plastered to his face.

"What on earth is going on?" He yelled to himself before frantically running over behind the couch. Even if she might attack him with a hairbrush and he had absolutely no clue where he was or what was happening, he had to make sure she was alright. After all, a hairbrush wouldn't intimidate Shooting Star so why should he be any different. He was the second best player in all of LOLOL after all!


	2. Chapter 2 Departure

Chapter 2  
Departure

MC awoke with a start, sitting up abruptly with her heart beating wildly. What had happened? Why was she on her couch and where had this blanket come from? Her head started to hurt trying to process her surroundings when a voice caused her to jump.

"Oh! You're finally awake!"

MC whipped her head around to see the same blonde haired boy from before and she froze in place. He took a step back cautiously before speaking again.

"Uh, hello. Glad to see you're okay now," he said, eyes darting downwards nervously. "You fainted earlier so I, uh, put you on the couch. I thought it would be better than leaving you down on the floor..."

MC stared at him as he avoided eye contact. Glancing downward, she realized the blanket covering her was the one from her bedroom and her cheeks flushed.

"You went in my room?" She said with a bit of embarrassment.

"Ah! Well, you see, you looked cold and I couldn't just leave you like that. So I got you a blanket. I mean, I already don't know what's going on and I'm apparently intruding in your home. I didn't think I could make it much worse." He said with a nervous smile. She felt her heartstrings tug but had to snap herself out of it. Now was not the time to be falling for this stranger's trap. Whatever that may be, however, she wasn't exactly sure.

"Who are you?" MC asked. She stood up from the couch and stared at him suspiciously.

"I told you my name is Yoosung Kim. I don't get why you won't believe me." He said, reaffirming his earlier statements.

"That's impossible. Yoosung isn't even a real person! Why are you dressed up like a video game character inside my house? Were you the one that made my phone explode?" She said, pointing towards her busted phone on the floor. Or, at least where it should be. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed it had disappeared. "Wh-where'd it go?"

"I put it on the table over by the window." said the Yoosung impostor waving his hands, trying to calm down the frantic girl in front of him. He swallowed thickly, hoping he hadn't made her more angry with him. He was still so confused and needed to ask her some questions. If she wasn't calm there was no way he'd ever be able to get any answers from her about where he was, or why everything looked... so different. Was there something wrong with his eyes?

MC looked over and sure enough her broken phone rested safely on top of the small table by the window. Of course, it was still shattered to pieces so she didn't know why she cared so much. Probably because all of the photos of her crush were on that phone. Would they even be salvageable at this point? She looked back to the 'Yoosung' impostor in front of her.

"Why do you keep calling yourself Yoosung? How do you know about him? Did you hack into my phone?" She asked again, feeling brave. She didn't know where this sudden courage was coming from. The adrenaline from earlier still seemed to be pumping through her.

"No, I don't know anything about hacking how could I do something like that? Maybe Seven but not me..." he trailed off before clearing his throat. "But I was serious, that's my name. How would I not know about myself? What's that even supposed to mean? I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me!" He insisted. After a moment his eyes lit up, hands diving for his pocket.

"What are you doing?" MC asked, taking a step back. Her courage from earlier had flown right out the window. She expected him to pull out some kind of weapon but was relieved to see a wallet slip from his pocket. After fumbling through the slots the man pulled out a card, jutting his hand out towards her. MC looked down at his hand suspiciously before slowly moving forward. She snatched the card from his hand before jumping back away again, wanting to maintain a safer distance.

"See? Right there. That's my student I.D. It has my name and everything on it. Do you believe me now?" He asked hopefully. MC looked at the card in her hand and her eyes widened. It really did look just like Yoosung's student I.D. She looked back up at him in surprise before looking back down. The only difference was the picture. His face no longer looked like a creation of pen and paper but of an actual photo, perfectly matching the face of the man in front of her.

"But, how... how are you here?" She started, her face scrunched up in confusion. This didn't make any sense.

"I don't know, one minute I'm playing LOLOL and I go to turn on my messaging app and now I'm here. It feels like I just flew a mile right into that wall over there." He said gesturing behind him. "Now I don't know where I am and I think my heads messed up because everything looks so weird. Everything's so saturated and... bumpy." MC saw him stare at his hand, clenching and unclenching.

Her eyes drifted back to his student I.D. and noticed a small piece of paper poking out from behind it. A picture of two people looked up at her, a smiling brunette boy and a golden blonde haired woman. It was almost a picture perfect replica of the photo in the game. Yoosung and Rika in the flesh. It looked so genuine.

"You... you really are him aren't you?" MC said, her face filling with wonder. She looked positively in awe. This was really happening. She didn't care if she was dreaming. If she was, she hoped to never wake up again.

Yoosung smiled in relief. His shoulders slumped as he threw his head back.

"Aaaah, finally I've convinced you!" He said happily before looking back at her. "But, why do you sound like you know me? Have we met before? You kept saying something about a game? My head hurts."

MC froze in place, her mind going blank. What was she supposed to do in a situation like this? She was having a hard time coming to terms with her situation as it was. Did she really have to explain to a character that he was from a video game? Though, she didn't think she could really call him a character anymore. A sudden urge overwhelmed her and she found herself stepping forward.

"H-hey now, what are you doing?" Yoosung asked worriedly, frozen to the spot. There wasn't much he could do with the wall behind him as the girl came walking forward. She raised her hand and he felt his stomach clench. He had a sudden thought that she was going to slap him. With no other options he snapped his eyes closed and waited for the pain to come.

Instead of pain, however, he felt a soft hand cup his cheek tenderly. His eyes opened in surprise. As he looked down at the girl who so openly touched his face he felt his cheeks heat up. Her smile confused him and he felt very embarrassed all of a sudden.

She couldn't resist any longer and flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly with a laugh.

"Oh my god, you're really real! Really really real! I can't believe it!" She cried in happiness, squeezing the daylights out of him. He had no idea how to react to this. This woman had almost killed him with her brush earlier and now she seemed like she had never been so happy to see someone in her entire life. Maybe he had hit his head harder than he thought.

"Um, okay. I... well." He couldn't seem to articulate a complete sentence with this girl's arms wrapped around him. What was he supposed to do? He had never had a girl who wasn't a family member do this to him. Much less a girl he didn't even know.

MC seemed to gain composure over herself and abruptly let go, backing away with a mortified look on her face. Yoosung stood stock-still on the spot. He was very unsure of what to do.

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me I just, you don't understand, I never thought something like this would happen to me! You're really real, you're actually standing there in front of me and I just, I couldn't help it" she stuttered out in embarrassment.

"You must be so confused right now. I don't even know what to say to help. This is so complicated.." She trailed off, biting her lip and looking to the floor thoughtfully. After coming down from his emotional shock at her sudden embrace, Yoosung blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"Well, first maybe tell me where I am? Where are we? I know we're in your home, I don't know how though, but still." He said. His eyes locked on her's, desperate for answers. He looked like he really would believe anything she told him right at that moment. She had to stifle a laugh.

"Were in Franklin city." She said simply.

"Franklin.. city? I've never heard of that at all what part of South Korea are we in?" He asked. A quizzical look pulled at his features.

"We're not in South Korea, Yoosung."

"What? Then where on Earth are we?"

MC had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. She knew it probably wasn't very nice when the poor sweet boy was about to have a heart attack but she couldn't help it. He looked so adorable.

"We're in North America. The U.S.A." she explained. The look of bewilderment on his face was too much and she burst put laughing.

"Wait what's so funny? You can't be serious! How could I be all the way over in America, I don't even have a passport!" He said, panicking slightly. "I can't even speak English!"

"But you're speaking it right now!" She laughed.

Yoosung had to stop for a moment to process what she had said. Realization dawned on his face and his mouth slacked open.

"You're right! I've been speaking English this whole time, and, you've been speaking English and I can understand you!" said Yoosung, pointing at her wildly. MC couldn't help but nod and giggle. Before she could explain further however a knock at the door quieted her laughter. It felt as if she had been drenched in ice water.

Before Yoosung could say a word he found his mouth covered by MC's hand. Muffled noises of protest poured from beneath her hand. She looked at him seriously, a sense of worry on her face.

"Shhh! You have to stay quiet." She warned in a hushed tone. "Go, go into my room and hide in the closet. No one can know you're here. Go, go, go. I'll explain after."

His brows knitted together in confusion before he agreed uneasily. MC felt a small sense of relief that he was still as trusting as ever. She didn't think any of the other boys would go along with this so easily. After another knock, slightly louder than before, sounded from her door she pushed Yoosung in the direction of her bedroom and went to answer the second unexpected intrusion of the night. When she was sure the coast was clear she opened the door to reveal a short portly man with a scruffy face looking at her in disapproval.

"There was a noise complaint at the front desk. Do you have any idea what time it is? What in blazes are you doing up here that you couldn't answer my phone calls?" He said in a harsh, angry whisper. The apartment's landlord didn't look at all pleased.

"Oh uh, actually I don't know what time it is, I'm sorry. And as for my phone well, it... broke." She replied gently so as not to anger him further. It didn't seem to work.

"Excuses! Then if your phone's broken why was I hearing voices coming from behind your doorway? You better not have anyone in there with you, you know this is supposed to be a one person room." He said sternly. She could feel her stomach drop a few feet.

"Nope, no, no ones here. Just the uh, T.V. I turned it off because I was about to go to bed. Work in the morning and all that." She said, laughing nervously. Her landlord eyed her suspiciously before waving it off.

"Whatever. Well, you better not have another complaint anytime soon or I swear there will have to be some consequences." He warned, waggling a finger at her. MC gave a half-hearted smile in return.

"Don't you worry Mr. Jameson I promise I'll try to keep the noise down." She promised "No more annoyances from me."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, some of us are trying to work. Don't make me have to come up here again." He said before turning around and walking off down the hall. MC let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and closed the door. A small thump sounded as her forehead came to rest against the wood of the door. Every inch of her skin prickled with anxiety as she tried to calm her nerves.

After giving herself a moment to breathe she headed to the back of the apartment towards her bedroom. She opened the door slowly, looking around the room.

"Yoosung, are you in here? You can come out now he's gone." She whispered loud enough for him to hear. A moment passed before the closet door slid open to reveal a slightly disheveled blonde hiding inside.

"Who was that?" He asked as he stepped out, dusting his shirt with his hands.

"That was my landlord. I'm not supposed to have other people living here so I couldn't let him see you." She admitted.

"He sounded mean. I could hear him all the way back here." Said Yoosung. He looked a bit taken aback "What would have happened if he'd have seen me?"

"I probably would've been kicked out." she shrugged.

Yoosung looked dumbstruck.

"Just because someone was at your place late at night?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I live close to a college around here so they get pretty strict with the living conditions." She admitted. "It's the only thing I could afford though." A small silence filled the room giving her a sense of unease.

"So, you probably have a lot more questions for me I bet?" said MC, changing the subject. It seemed to be the perfect thing to say as Yoosung grasped onto it immediately.

"Oh yes!" He said excitedly before MC shushed him. Right, he thought, the noise.

"Yes, sorry, I do. But, isn't it getting late? I feel a bit... odd... being here so late. We barely know each other and well, I'm a guy." He looked embarrassed as his gaze shifted to the side. "I shouldn't be here this late, I shouldn't even be here at all. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I don't know where to go." He looked very conflicted with himself.

"Well I mean, I don't really mind. You can stay here for the night and I could explain everything tomorrow if you'd like." She suggested, also averting her gaze. Her cheeks darkened at the thought and she really hoped he wouldn't notice.

"St-stay the night?" He faltered. "I really shouldn't. It wouldn't be right." The look of embarrassment was plain on his face.

"I don't really know what else to do though." MC admitted. "I know things are probably super weird for you right now and being alone with a girl you barely even know probably isn't making anything any better. But this is really the least I can do. Especially after I almost attacked you earlier."

"I can't really blame you, I would've been scared too. Actually, I am scared. But I feel exhausted from everything that's happened. Maybe you're right." said Yoosung. He looked uneasily over at the bed. "B-but I should really sleep on the couch."

"Oh no, yeah of course!" She said, waving her arm dismissively. "But, wouldn't you prefer the bed? I could take the couch. Even under the weird circumstances you're still my guest." Her face flushed as she imagined him sleeping in her bed. She wouldn't lie, it wasn't entirely generosity that had her offering up her room.

"There's no way I could do that to a lady." He insisted, cheeks tinged a light pink. "Plus it's... A little embarrassing. Really, it's fine."

It seemed there would be no other way. MC bit her lip in thought before conceding.

"Okay, but let me get you a pillow at least. You can use the blanket I left on the couch. If you need anything, anything at all, you can feel free to wake me up. I wouldn't mind."

A small smile crept onto Yoosung's face.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you." He said as MC handed him one of her better pillows. Their fingers brushed gently as he took hold of her offering and MC felt her insides churn. She yanked her hand back in surprise. A questioning look crossed Yoosung's face.

"Oh it's really no problem." She said quickly. She mentally berated herself for letting her emotions loose. Things may be confusing at the moment but that didn't change the fact that the object of her affection was really truly alive. And to think he'd be staying the night in her house! It was definitely hard for her to try and act normal. She didn't want to scare the guy.

"No I'm really serious, why would I lie about something like this?"

"Come on Yoosung, you really can't expect me to believe a story like that. Are you sure playing all those games hasn't messed with your head?"

"No Zen, really I mean it! I'm in some city called Franklin over in America and I have no idea how I got here! Could you please contact Seven? I can't get a hold of him."

"Fine, I can try but I don't think he'll believe me. Even I don't believe it."

"It doesn't matter I just need to talk to him;;"

"Alright, alright. Chill out."

"Oh, I have to go Zen. I think I heard the girl moving around in her room."

"Yeah, sure you did Yoosung. Alright I'll talk to you later."

Yoosung sat up on the couch, his phone clutched in one hand as he pulled the blanket off with the other. He had just spent the last hour it felt like messaging his friend and trying to explain what had happened to him. Of course, he didn't believe him. Though why would he? Yoosung may be naive but even he wouldn't be able to take a story like his own seriously.

He figured it was worth one more shot and pressed the chat room button. His phone buzzed in protest and stayed on the same main screen. He let out an agitated whine and flopped back down onto his back. That feature of the app hadn't been working for him since the fiasco from last night. It was a wonder he could still message people privately. He really needed to talk to Seven to get this bug fixed asap. As usual, unfortunately, he was impossible to get a hold of.

The sound of a door closing caught his attention and he looked to see the girl from the night before walking sleepily into the living room. His presence seemed to surprise her and she let out a squeak, her eyes growing wide.

"Uh, good morning!" said Yoosung, looking back at her upside down as he laid on the couch. He quickly sat up and turned to face her. She rubbed her eyes before taking another long hard look at him.

"So it wasn't a dream..." She mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Oh nothing. So uh, how'd you sleep?" Said MC, changing the subject.

"Fine. Well, as fine as I could have anyway." He admitted. A yawn escaped him and he stretched before standing up.

"Would you like some breakfast?" She asked as she headed towards the kitchen. He gave her a surprised look. "Just, before we get back into all of... this mess."

He thought about it for a moment but his stomach ultimately decided for him. A loud growl gurgled from his midsection causing MC to giggle.

"Uh, yes please." He laughed.

The meal was spent in an almost uncomfortable silence. Neither party quite knew how to broach the subject they both were trying so hard to wrap their heads around. Eventually, it was Yoosung who spoke up first.

"So, um, actually you know, I never did ask for your name." Said Yoosung, looking up from his plate to the girl across from him.

"My name's MC. Sorry about that, I didn't really think about properly introducing myself before. I was a little... caught up in other things." She replied. Yoosung nodded his head in agreement.

"Though, I have to ask, why didn't you believe me when I tried to tell you mine? You mentioned something about... me not being real. I think." He said, twiddling his fork around in his hand.

"Well, that's actually really complicated. I don't really think you're going to believe me when I tell you." She said.

"After what's already happened I don't think anything would surprise me now." He laughed.

"Well, see, the thing is... you're kinda... sorta... wellimprettysureyoureavideogamecharacterthatcameoutofmyphone." She said quickly. Her eyes flickered up to Yoosung's who looked positively confused.

"Uh, come again?" He asked with a laugh. "I didn't quite catch that."

"Sorry, sorry." She said and took a deep breath. There really was no way around this. "So, you know how my phone was completely destroyed and looked like something had exploded out of it?" Yoosung nodded, waiting to hear the rest. He didn't see how this had anything to do with him though.

"Well you see, I'm pretty sure that something was, well... you." Said MC, looking up at him through her hair nervously, waiting to gauge his reaction.

"You're saying I came out of your phone?" He asked skeptically. MC nodded seriously. Yoosung stared at her for a moment before breaking out into a fit of laughter. MC looked surprised. This wasn't the reaction she had expected at all. It took almost a full minute before Yoosung managed to calm down. He cleared his throat.

"No, okay, really what did you say?" He asked again. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"I'm serious!" She insisted

"There's no way something like that happened! There's got to be a different explanation!"

"Look, as far as I know from what I've been able to piece together, you came out of my phone from a mobile game called Mystic Messenger. I know it sounds stupid and insane but is anything in this situation anything but?" She said seriously. Yoosung went quiet. His face crunched up in thought and he frowned.

"Here, look, I can show you proof. Let me get my... oh right, my phone's broken." MC sighed with a deadpan look across her face. "Here, come with me."

The bright light of her laptop screen lit up their faces as she clicked her way onto the Google search engine. She had warned him on their way back to her room to be prepared for anything he might see. He didn't seem entirely convinced yet of her story but was willing to see what she wanted to show him. Even if her idea sounded absolutely ludicrous.

After a few quick clicks of the keyboard he read out what she typed: 'Mystic Messenger'. She gave him a quick glance before uncertainly pressing the enter key. Hundreds of links flashed onto the page along with dozens and dozens of pictures. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Those were pictures of him and his friends! What were they doing all over the internet? Some of them didn't even look like photos at all however. They looked almost as if someone had drawn them. Did someone really draw pictures of him and his friends?

MC clicked the search bar again and typed in a different query. Yoosung read his own name on the screen and gripped the hem of his shirt tightly. Before he knew it results were appearing all over the page with his name plastered over every single one of them. Concept designs, Wikipedia links, fan art, all things with his face and name squashed into the result stared him back in the face. His eyes widened and he couldn't stop himself from grabbing the mouse from MC. He clicked one of the links of a blog talking about a massive bug report involving him.

"A severe bug has come to the attention of many users of the game 'Mystic Messenger' late last night. It seems that, without the knowledge of Cheritz, one of the characters seems to have all but disappeared from the game. Yoosung Kim, available in the casual story of the game, seems to be no longer playable. All of his texts and calls have been reduced to nothing but gibberish and static noise. Many users are upset and have been mailing Cheritz about this bug. However, Cheritz has yet to respond or make any comments on our recent epidemic."

Yoosung stared at the screen, reading the text over and over again. He could see a photo of himself looking back at him from the article. Another photo showed him grayed out among his friends. It looked almost like it was a screenshot off of someone's phone. Or maybe, that's exactly what it was.

"Yoosung, are you alright?" Asked MC, realizing that he had begun shivering beside her. Tears had started to roll down his face as he read the article again, eyes darting to every picture of himself he could see. MC started to worry and reached out a hand to touch his arm. He shrunk away from the contact, muttering something to himself before taking a shaky breath.

"Yoosung?"

"I need to leave"

"Wait, what?"

He didn't respond a second time, tears continuing to stream down his anguished face. He looked as if a single touch would cause him to shatter into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Yoo-" MC started but it was too late. He was already out of the room, bolting towards the exit.

"YOOSUNG! Where are you going? Wait! It's dangerous out there!" She yelled, running after him. He wouldn't listen.

"Yoosung, please!" She pleaded, standing in front of the main door to her apartment. "Don't leave."

"MC, please move." Said Yoosung, choking back tears.

"But, where will you go? You don't know where anything is. You'll get lost, or hurt or-" she rambled on, pressing herself closer to the door.

"What does it matter? I don't... I don't belong here. I'm not even a real person so why would you... why would you care? I can't stay here. I need to leave. Please." The look in his eyes made her heart split in two. She couldn't do a thing to help this poor man. What had she done?

Before she could reply she felt herself being moved gently away from the door. She couldn't will herself to put up a fight. This was all her fault. The last thing she heard was a soft muttering of apologies before the soft click of a closing door.

He was gone.


	3. Chapter 3 Guilt

Chapter 3  
Guilt

The soft ticking of a clock reverberated throughout the otherwise silent room. A sense of gloom filled the air as MC sat alone on her couch. With the curtains closed only a few strands of light managed to peak into the closed space, illuminating half of her tear stricken face.

She sniffed quietly, making no efforts to shield her eyes from the light. Her eyes were swollen red from the hours she had sat crying to herself. There was nothing else she could do. He was gone and it was her fault. Her heart ached as she curled in on herself, hugging her knees tightly to her chest.

There was no telling where he could have gone. He must have been so frightened and confused. What if something happened to him? Or if he got lost? She shivered at the thought. Helplessness and guilt consumed her. Why had she made such a selfish wish?

Without warning the sound of music broke through the silence. MC's head turned, wiping her eyes as she looked for the source of the noise. A faint buzzing sensation rippled underneath her and she jumped up from the couch.

"What the?" She started. Her leg raised defensively as she stared down at the cushions. The song continued playing, steadily increasing in volume. It sounded so familiar to her. Then it clicked. That was Yoosung's theme! But why was it coming from her couch?

Just as quickly as it had begun the music stopped. MC practically leaped at the couch, digging her hand deep in between the cushions. As her arm slipped down to her elbow into the couch her hand brushed against something cold and hard. She clutched it tightly and pulled her hand up. A yellow flip phone rested in her grasp.

"He forgot his phone." Said MC as she held the device. Her worry increased tenfold at the realization he was without it. He really was all alone out there.

Without thinking she flipped open the phone. A photo of the words 'LOLOL' greeted her from the background. Even though the sadness she couldn't help but let a small smile form on her lips. It took all she had left to choke down the warm tears that threatened to resurface.

Before her emotions could take over the phones screen lit up as the song from before started playing again. The name '707' flashed and MC nearly threw the phone in surprise. In a panicked frenzy, not knowing what to do, she answered the call.

"H-hello?"

"Yoosung! Hey what's going on over there? Zen told me you were just itching to get in touch with me. I thought to myself, the great 707 defender of justice, couldn't help but answer a friend in need! So, what's the problem college boy? Zen tried telling me you were all the way over in America! How's the food? Did you see the statue of liberty while you're down over there?" Rambled a voice that could be none other than Seven himself. MC was beside herself in shock. That was definitely his voice, but to hear it in plain English wasn't something she had expected at all.

"S-seven is that really you?" She replied. It felt as if her heart had jumped up into her throat.

"Haa? Hey wait- who is this? Oi, Yoosung is that you? You're voice is cutting out like crazy. Did you drop your phone in the toilet again?" Seven snickered.

"Seven, it is you oh my god! This isn't Yoosung. I have his phone but, wait can you hear me? I need help! Yoosung is in trouble-"

A loud groan came from the other end halting MC mid sentence.

"Yoosung I can't hear a word you're saying. Shoot me a message and we'll talk later okay? You can tell me all about America when you do. Maybe you can introduce me to lady liberty for a date, eh? I have to get back to work now, ugh, duty calls! 707 over and out!"

A dial tone droned in her ear as the other party ended the call. She pulled the phone from her ear to read the words call end flashing from the screen. With a noise of disappointment she closed the phone, stuffing it into her pocket.

She felt frustrated. If the previous night hadn't occurred she would have been speechless to hear Seven's voice talking to her so personally. Instead, she was frustrated with her predicament. From what Seven had said, Yoosung must have contacted them telling them he was in trouble. Though from the way he said it, they must all think he was joking or trying to pull their leg. He must feel so alone. Just like her.

With a deep breath she puffed out her chest. She wasn't going to sit here and cry anymore. That was over and done with. She was tired of doing nothing but cry over everything. It was time to be strong. Yoosung was out there somewhere all on his own with no one to turn to. Her insides swirled with guilt for not being able to stop him. She needed to find him.

Grabbing her keys she rushed over to her door. Nothing was going to stop her now. She was filled with a new sense of determination unlike she ever felt before. Her love was in possible danger and she needed to find him. Even if he would never love her, or if he hated her for all of the grief she caused him, she needed to help him.

A hand nearly knocked into her face as she opened her door. She screeched in surprise and ducked out of the way. Her friend Rachael from work stood in front of her, eyes wide and her hand raised.

"Oh god, MC I'm so sorry are you okay?" She said, jerking her hand away from the open door. "I was just about to knock but I didn't mean to almost knock your face in."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. You didn't hit me. But, what are you doing here? I thought you had work today?" Said MC. She looked at her friend while her hand absentmindedly grasped at her pocket, squeezing where Yoosung's phone lay hidden.

"Yeah, I called off." Rachael laughed. "I figured I'd rather spend the day with my buddy instead. We haven't been hanging out much recently and I wanted to see if something was up... Have you been crying?" MC's eyes widened only for a second before darting away from her friends suspicious stare.

"No, uh, just allergies haha you know me." MC said unconvincingly. Her friend's stare hardened a bit before she sighed.

"Whatever you say, MC." She said, shaking her head. "Also, I tried calling you before I came over but you wouldn't answer your phone. You're not avoiding me or anything are you? You look like you're in a hurry to get out of here is something up?"

"Huh? Oh no my phone is uh.. broken." Said MC. She wasn't lying after all. However, she couldn't exactly tell her friend why she was heading out. Rachael would think she was insane! 'Oh I'm just heading out to find my lost boyfriend who's not really my boyfriend but actually a man I pretend dated from a video game who exploded out of my phone last night and ran away this morning because he's having an existential crisis about his existence'. Yeah that would totally run by without a hitch. She had to come up with a lie quick.

"Which is why I was heading out!" She said with a snap of her fingers. "I needed to go buy a new one."

"Shouldn't you just get your old one fixed?" Said Rachael with a raised eyebrow.

"I honestly don't think that would be possible." MC said bluntly. "So um, sorry that you caught me at a bad time but I should really-"

"Nonsense! I'll come with you! But before we go we can go get a bite to eat! Kyle from work wanted to tag along too so I offered for us all to go." Said Rachael. MC swallowed hard, her mind running a mile a minute. Rachael had offered for her and the overly helpful guy from work to go out for lunch?

"Oh, I don't know if I'll have time for that really. Maybe some other time. I'm really busy today." MC insisted. She really needed to get going as soon as possible.

"MC, come on. We barely ever hang out outside of work. Isn't our friendship important to you anymore..?" Asked Rachael, a hurt look on her face.

"No, I mean yes. But that's not it, I just... oh.. okay." Sighed MC, in defeat. The tension in her chest grew tighter making her feel sick. She had no other choice. Her search would have to wait till after lunch. Sometimes she wondered if she really was born without a spine.

"Hey, MC could you pass the salt?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah sure."

They sat in a corner booth at one of the local restaurants. Kyle and Rachael were having a pleasant conversation across from her while she slowly picked at her food. She couldn't get Yoosung out of her mind. Hopefully this lunch would go by quickly so she could say her goodbyes and start running around town. There's no telling where that poor boy had gotten himself to by this point.

"So, what do you think MC? Do you think Kyle's idea's better or mine?" Said Rachael, pulling MC from her thoughts.

"What?" Said MC.

"I asked you who's idea sounded better. Are you even paying attention?" Asked Rachael, clearly looking disappointed in her friend.

"Hey Rachael, lighten up. It's okay MC you look like you're just preoccupied. Everything okay at home?" Asked Kyle. He gave her a concerned look.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm fine really. Maybe just a little tired if anything. I had a rough day yesterday." Said MC. She was technically being truthful, even if she couldn't say what was so rough about it.

"I told you you should have let me help you carry those plates." Laughed Kyle.

"No that's not-"

"You should be more careful from now on. There's no shame in a lady needing a little extra help." He interrupted. MC felt her cheeks grow hot, eyebrows crunching together.

"Hey now, Kyle. I'm sure if she needed help she would've asked. I've seen her carry much more on a busy day." Said Rachael, winking over to her.

She felt embarrassed from his comments but the fact that her friend had stood up for her helped to soothe her irritation. Friendly or not, that had been a little rude. She breathed a small sigh. Maybe he hadn't meant it like that. She was probably just over reacting.

Before she could respond a loud boom thundered through the sky. All three of them looked towards the windows across the room from them to see dark gray clouds were setting in. A thunderstorm was rolling in it seemed.

"Oh wow it's really coming down" commented Rachael. "Maybe it's time to head home. Hey, MC, I have to take care of some stuff before I go home so why don't you let Kyle here take you home? I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Would you, Kyle?" MC could've sworn she saw her nudge him in the side. What was she trying to do?

"Oh, yeah! I don't mind at all. I have to go by that way anyway." He agreed, smiling over to MC.

"Uh, no that's okay I actually still had to go to the store too. How about I come with you Rachael? I still needed to buy a new phone anyway." Said MC. She didn't know why but the thought of being in a car alone with Kyle didn't sit right with her. Rachael didn't look pleased with her response.

"Oh I wasn't going anywhere you could get one of those, haha." She said, brushing off her suggestion.

"Yeah I could take you anywhere you need. It's storming out there, you shouldn't be out walking in it." Kyle insisted. The smile on his face seemed genuine and MC felt her resistance waver.

"Okay." She said after a moment of deliberation. "Then, could you drop me off at the Sprint store down the road?"

"Of course! No problem at all. Here, let me go pay and then we can head out, okay?" He said beaming as he stood up from the booth seat. MC felt her stomach churn slightly as he walked away to the front register.

"See, he's not so bad is he?" Whispered Rachael across the table.

"Well, I mean, he's okay. He's a little..." MC paused, trying to find the right word.

"Pushy? Yeah I know, but he means well. He's a nice guy. You should give him a chance." Rachael pressed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Questioned MC, a look of suspicion on her face. It almost sounded like she was suggesting that she should go out with him or something.

Before she could get an answer however Kyle had made his way back to the table. Rachael merely smiled in response as she rose from her seat.

"Well, better get going then." She said. Her smile almost looked triumphant.

The ride in the car wouldn't be something MC would quite call horribly unpleasant. However, it surely wasn't something she would say she was entirely thrilled with. Kyle sat in the driver's seat beside her seeming absolutely pleased with himself. His toothy grin was hard to miss no matter how hard she tried to avoid looking.

They had sat in silence for the past few minutes as they made their way to the Sprint store. MC wasn't too keen on starting a conversation at the moment. Kyle, on the other hand, seemed happy enough to stay relatively quiet. After a few more minutes ticked by, however, it seemed he had grown tired of their ongoing silence.

"So uh, hey. I'm sorry about what I said earlier back at the restaurant." He said casually, keeping his eyes on the road. "I guess that was a little much for me to say, wasn't it?"

MC bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. She wasn't one to go around accusing people of things but there was no denying that what he said had made her upset.

"I'm sure you must have meant well by it. No harm done." She lied, looking off to the side. Her stomach squeezed uneasily.

"Oh, really? Well that's a relief! I thought I may have offended you or something. Glad to hear everything's okay then." He said, turning to flash her a grin. She halfheartedly smiled back, her eyes flickering down towards her legs.

"You know," he continued. "I just wanted to say, I think you're really cute."

MC's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. What was this all of a sudden? She felt a cold sweat coming on and shifted in her seat.

"Um... thank you." She replied quietly.

"So, you know, Rachael told me you didn't have a boyfriend or anything so I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out sometime?" He asked.

Her uneasiness had hit it's peak. An image of her opening the car door and rolling out flashed through her mind. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and opened her mouth a few times, unable to make a sound.

"Um, well, I don't know..." She said, unsure of how to deal with the situation. Her hands started to feel clammy.

"Aw, don't be like that. Come on, it'll be fun I promise. I mean, I already paid for your food today so what's one more? I did you a favor." He said casually, eyes shifting to look at her again. She had a sudden feeling that she shouldn't be here in this car. All she could think of was that she wanted to leave.

"I don't... well, I don't really... like you like that, is all. It wouldn't feel right." She managed to choke out. Her head had started to feel fuzzy. It felt as if she was about to have an anxiety attack at any moment. A building in the distance caught her attention and she felt her heart accelerate. The store was right there. Just a little further.

An unwelcome feeling struck her as something warm closed around her knee. She looked down to see Kyle's hand had made its way atop her knee. She had to hold back a shiver as she turned to face the one connected to the hand so casually placed upon her.

"I'm sure I could change your mind." He said, giving her a small smirk.

She scooted away from his touch, feeling more uncomfortable by the second. The air felt thick and hard to swallow inside the car. This wasn't okay. An alarm was going off inside her head that she needed to leave right now. She was so close yet so far.

Ding~ Dong~ Ding~

MC's eyes darted to her pocket where the unexpected noise had come from. She felt sweat form on her brow as she looked back at Kyle's face. He looked utterly confused.

"Wait a second was that you?" He asked.

"Uhh..." She said uneasily. No excuses could possibly cover up what just happened.

"I thought you said you needed to buy a phone? Why'd you ask me to do that if you already had one in your pocket?" He accused. Something flashed behind his eyes and MC scooted closer to the door.

"Well, you see, it's actually not mine. It's my friends, he left it at my house when- I mean um, oh jeez..." She stuttered.

"What do you mean he?" He interrogated.

"No one! Just a friend of mine!" She replied. Why was she feeling as if she had to defend herself? Before she could stop herself her hand found the door handle and pulled, popping open the passenger side door.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" He shouted, slamming the breaks. MC unbuckled her seat belt and hastily hurried out of the car. The instant she was outside her body became drenched head to toe. But she didn't care, she needed to get away.

"I-I'm sorry! I have to go, thanks for the ride!" She shouted over the howling wind now in her ears. It was absolutely pouring outside as she made her way away from the car. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her until finally she made it inside of the store. Panting heavily, she leaned against the glass doors and slid down to the ground. The floor soaked beneath her as she sat there, fighting back tears. Even with all the eyes watching her though it was pointless. No one would be able to see them.

The taxi ride home had been a quiet one indeed. She sat in silence, alone with her thoughts in the back of the car. Even with the driver's attempt at small talk she couldn't muster the strength to say a word. She felt if she did something horrible might happen. If she brought these thoughts into the world, what dangers would they hold for her? It would be best if she just ignored them. Pretended nothing ever happened. Once she got home she would take a shower and go to sleep. In the morning everything would be fine again. It always was. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

She pulled out the phone still in her pocket as she rested in the backseat. A red light blinked on the top of the phone. Curious of what kind of notification he may have received she flipped it open. A small bubble with the number one appeared over one of the messaging apps on Yoosung's home screen. She knew she shouldn't snoop but what was the point now? Her heart sank knowing she'd probably never see him again.

Tapping the app brought up a screen similar to the one she was most familiar seeing. It looked hauntingly similar to the Mystic Messenger app with a few key differences. It seemed that only the profiles, chat room and messages feature had remained on this version. So this is what everyone else always saw.

The notification seemed to be coming from his messages. Believing that there was no more harm she could possibly cause, she opened it up. All of the members faces appeared with different messages tied next to them. Jumin was asking him about how school was going, there was a goodbye message from Zen above it as well. Then, at the top she saw 707's icon with a brand new message beside it. She pressed it almost instantly.

"Hey, Yoosung! You never messaged me so I thought I'd send something your way instead! Funny isn't it? Usually it's the other way around lolol just dropping this here to let you know I'm working on fixing the chat room feature. Well, that is, I would be if I could figure out what's wrong with it! You sure it's not your phone acting up again? I told you to stop taking it with you into the bathroom if you can't keep a grip on it!"

MC chuckled before frowning slightly. Part of her wanted to answer it while another part told her she shouldn't be messing around with these kinds of things anymore. With all she'd been through she didn't want to involve anyone else in it as well. One was enough.

A twinge of guilt stung her chest. Two, actually. It wasn't just her effected by this. She wished she could forget about this whole mess, tear out her heart and go on with her life. Of course, that just wasn't possible. Yoosung's face materialized in her mind and she groaned. Her mind was racing with all that could be happening to him right now. She had to force herself to stop.

As soon as the taxi made it to her apartment she slipped her payment to the driver and stepped out of the car. All she wanted was to make it up to her room and take a nice, long, hot shower. The idea of work the next day wasn't sounding so good to her and she seriously debated whether or not she was even going to go. If it meant she wouldn't have to face Kyle again for at least one more day she'd take the absence in a heartbeat.

The walk upstairs was quiet except for her footsteps echoing around her. Her hand gripped the handrail as she trekked upwards. With such wet feet she couldn't be too careful. As she finally arrived at the tenth floor's main door a small noise reached her ears.

A familiar head of yellow slumped in a pair of arms caught her attention as soon as she opened the door. Right outside her door sat a boy, fast asleep with his knees tucked up to his chest. A soft snore came from his sleeping form. The floorboards were stained as if something had dried there not long ago. How long had he been sitting there?

Her legs moved on their own and she found herself kneeling next to him, worry pulling at her face. His skin was burning up against her palm as she felt his forehead, brushing the still wet strands of hair stuck to his face.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." She repeated to herself over and over. "Yoosung, you have to wake up. Hey! Snap out of it. Sweetie, please." His head lolled to the side and he groaned as she shook him awake. His eyes blinked unevenly as his gaze shifted to her's.

"M..C..?" He croaked. His voice sounded raw and his eyes remained unfocused.

"Yes, it's me. Don't worry I got you. Come on, we need to get you inside." She said softly, thumb brushing against his cheek before pulling his arm gently. He didn't seem like he was going to start moving on his own.

It took most of her strength to help him up onto his feet, his weight leaning heavily on her for support. He was heavier than he looked. Holding him steady, she unlocked the door.

"Come on now, come on inside. Walk with me, gently. Don't fall Yoosung, okay?" She said calmly, holding him up as best she could. His head dropped onto her shoulder as she led him inside, closing the door softly behind them.

Once they were inside she felt him lean against her more, speaking only once before he lost consciousness again for the second time. Something she didn't believe she deserved to hear for all she'd done to him. But hearing those words gave her a sense of purpose. She was going to fix what she had done to him. She was going to earn those two sweet words he had whispered to her. Those two words were going to help her push through the night while she did everything she could to make him better. For what more could she do to repay such two simple words.

"Thank you..."


	4. Chapter 4 Memories

Chapter 4  
Memories

MC's eyes felt heavy as she sat in a chair pulled up close to her couch. Yoosung lay sound asleep, a cold washcloth pressed against his forehead. His fever had finally broken a few hours prior but MC wasn't taking any chances. Until his temperature was completely back to normal and he was healthy once again she couldn't bear to let herself fall asleep. She had done so much throughout the night.

After he had fallen asleep in her arms standing in front of her doorway she had immediately started coming up with a plan. His clothes were damp, his skin was burning and he shivered every so often. She needed to help him as fast as she could. There was no telling how long he had been outside of her door waiting for her to come back.

As fast as her legs could carry her she quickly brought out a spare change of clothes she had from her bedroom along with a towel and set them on the table next to the couch. Yoosung lay against the arm rest, his mouth slack from fever. She stood nervously in front of his sleeping form. Heat rose in her cheeks as she prepared herself for what she had to do. She had to stay calm and not let her emotions get in the way. This wasn't the time to get nervous.

Carefully, she took hold of his shirt and pulled it up along with his jacket over his head, letting it fall to the ground beside her in a wet heap. He made no efforts to stop her. Whether he was still asleep or just too out of it to care, she didn't know. With as much care as she could administer she set about wiping down his hair, torso and arms to dry him off. It took all of her willpower to keep her eyes on him as she worked. She didn't think her face had ever been so hot. Of course, that was until she had to move on to his pants.

With shaky hands she finished redressing him. It had taken her longer than she thought to completely dry him off. Of course, she knew it wasn't going to be easy. Though she was certain she'd never be fully able to get the image of him in his underwear out of her mind. Puppies. There had just been so many puppies. If she wasn't trying to do something so serious at the moment she was sure she would've died from seeing them.

After taking his temperature, with much difficulty because of his unconscious state, she deemed he did in fact have a fever. She was surprised to read the number 103 flashing on the thermometer. This was an emergency. He needed to be cooled down immediately.

For hours on end she spent running back and forth from her kitchen to the couch. It didn't take long for the cold washcloth to lose its strength and she mentally cursed for not owning a cold compress. Once his fever finally broke around 3am she sat beside him, watching over him carefully. She wanted to be there if he needed her. There was no way she could sleep when he was so vulnerable.

It was only when the sun finally started to rise by the window that Yoosung opened his eyes. MC mentally slapped herself awake when a soft groan reached her ears. She looked down to see Yoosung blinking his eyes groggily. Her chest tightened and she fought the urge to cry out happily.

"Good morning sleepy head." She said affectionately. Yoosung rubbed his eyes sleepily before looking over to her. He tried to sit but was met with a fit of coughs.

"Whoa there, be careful. You should lay back down. I'll go get you some medicine okay? Don't move." Instructed MC. Before waiting for a reply she stood up and left the room.

Yoosung blinked again as he lay on his back, staring dazedly up at the ceiling. His head was aching and he felt like he had been dunked in a freezing bath while he was asleep. It took a moment before he could process where he was. When it finally hit him he tried to sit up again in surprise, only to fall back down again with a groan.

That was right, he had come back here last night. He didn't know how he'd finally managed to find his way back to her apartment in that storm. How long had he been wandering the streets? He had to have been out there for hours.

He had ran out of the apartment in a fit of emotional distress. Usually he wouldn't have let himself act so rashly, but who could keep calm in a situation like his? Was he really nothing but a character in some video game? Was his entire life nothing but a sham? And his family, his friends even, all of it was a lie?

He had remembered Rika. How sad he had been when he learned of her passing. How much it still hurt inside after all this time. Was it really all for nothing? Was he supposed to just accept that everything and everyone he had encountered his entire life was just a product of someone's imagination? It was too much for him to take.

Somehow he had made his way onto a bridge over passing what looked like a highway of some sort. He didn't know how he had gotten there or exactly how far his legs had taken him. His eyes drifted over the railing to the cars speeding down below. A knot clenched at his stomach as he stepped forward, his heart racing.

What if he were to just jump. He wouldn't be left with all of these thoughts and emotions buzzing around inside his head like a swarm of angry bees. It wasn't like he was even a real person. Nothing he did would ever matter. No one would miss him if he just disappeared.

Just as his foot stepped up onto the bar a face surfaced in his mind. Her face. What if she missed him? He brought his foot back down, staring blankly at his shoes. His eyebrows knitted together. Why was he thinking of her so suddenly? He barely even knew her. Even so the thought nagged at him. Would she try to stop him if she were here?

The memory of her shielding him from the door popped into his mind. He remembered her face, how scared she looked and how desperate she seemed to keep him from leaving. He couldn't understand why she would care so much. The look in her eyes had been so genuine. Rika had always told him that no one could lie with their eyes. MC must have really cared about him.

Something cold and wet plopped onto his nose and he raised his head to see storm clouds had rolled in overhead. Rain was starting to drop lazily from the sky and onto his face. Taking a deep breath he made up his mind. He was going to go back. What was to happen after that, he didn't know but he knew the only place he could go was back to her. He just hoped she wouldn't be upset over what he did. It wasn't her fault he was in this mess.

A sense of panic rang through him as he patted his pockets. His phone was missing. How was he supposed to call for a taxi or even find his way back without a map to follow? He shivered as the rain started to pour down on him. There was no other choice but to start walking. Phone or no phone he would find his way back.

By the time he found the correct apartment he had been drenched from head to toe. His head was swimming and his skin felt numb beneath his soaking wet clothes. It took every bit of strength he had left to trudge his way up the stairs. Spotting the door across the hall had been a sweet spot of relief and he found himself smiling in his foggy haze. Though with no answer at the door his options seemed depleted at last.

With a sigh of defeat he slumped against the door, sliding down to the ground in a tired heap. He hugged his knees tightly to his chest and hung his head. Wet, tired and alone he sat on the floor with his thoughts. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

Now he found himself warm on a familiar couch, looking around the room as he waited for his caretaker to come back. The sunlight flickered across his face and he winced slightly. He must have been out for a long time. He didn't even remember coming into the house.

"Oh! Here, let me fix that for you." Said a familiar voice. Yoosung opened an eye, squinting to see as MC pulled the offending curtains closed. His face was immediately free of sunlight.

"Okay, I got you some medicine and some water. Here, let me help you sit up. Don't move too fast or you might hurt your head again." She said softly, gently easing him up into a sitting position. His head winced and he grimaced.

"Thank you for... helping me." He said softly, accepting the medicine and water gratefully.

"No no no! You don't need to thank me for anything. I'm just glad you're alright, I was so worried..." She admitted. "I-I mean because you could've gotten lost or something, not any other reason." Her eyes shifted to avoid his gaze, something that didn't go unnoticed by him.

"A-anyway, why don't you go take a nice shower and wash yourself up. Now that you're awake I can go downstairs and wash your clothes for you." Her eyes flickered nervously towards him again. "Yours were soaking wet last night and.. I couldn't just leave you in them. I hope you don't mind..." Her cheeks were flaming as she stood up, facing away from him as she went to collect his clothes from the bathroom.

Yoosung coughed before lifting the blanket from his body. He hadn't noticed until that moment but he definitely wasn't wearing his own clothes anymore. Instead he found himself in a simple white t-shirt and pajama pants. They felt a bit snug and he could only guess where they might have come from. The thought that a girl had actually undressed him sent him into an embarrassed fit. He covered his face as a strong blush overtook him. How much had she seen?

Peeling a hand away from his face he warily lifted his waistband. He was relieved to see he was still wearing the same pair of boxers. Fresh blood pooled in his face when he realized she must have seen exactly that same pair the night before. A whine escaped him as he hid his face once more.

"Yoosung are you alright?" Said MC worriedly as she came back into the room, his clothes in hand. He couldn't bear to uncover his face and merely nodded.

"Y-yup I'm fine, don't worry!" He insisted. MC stifled a giggle as she watched his display.

"Well, alright. Oh! I almost forgot." She said, walking over to him. He reluctantly peaked through his fingers to see her standing in front of him with an outstretched hand. Something yellow sat atop her palm.

"My phone!" He exclaimed happily, grabbing his long lost device. "Thank you! Oh, I thought I lost this!"

"Yeah, you left it in my couch yesterday before you.. ran out." Said MC.

"Oh... I'm sorry for acting that way. I shouldn't have acted like that when you had been so nice to me. I feel awful." Said Yoosung, sniffling from his stuffy nose.

"No, you have nothing to be sorry about! It's not your fault at all. Anyone would've had a strong reaction to something like that. It's my fault for showing you." She said, a look of guilt pulling at her lips.

"Oh! I almost forgot, Seven messaged you yesterday. He called too and I answered it. He said something about dropping a phone in the toilet." She continued. Yoosung looked devastated.

"Augh, that only happened one time! Why is he still bringing that up?" He whined, throwing his hands in the air. He winced before grasping at his forehead. A realization hit him and he tilted his head to MC curiously.

"Wait, do you know him too?" He asked.

"Well, I mean... yes. Not personally because well... you know. But yes, I know who everyone is. Seven, Jumin, Jaehee, Zen and... you." She smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, right. The game." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "So, um... what kind of game was I in anyway? Was it cool? Oh! Was it like LOLOL?" He seemed to perk up immediately as he awaited her response.

"Uh, well, no not exactly. It was... well," she took a deep breath, unable to meet his curious gaze. "A dating game."

It took a moment for her words to register for him. As soon as it clicked his face flushed red quicker than a stoplight.

"A d-dating game?" He asked in disbelief. MC bit her lip and her eyes cast downwards. She knew the question would come sooner or later but that didn't mean she was prepared.

"Wait, so like one of those otome games? The ones girls play?" He asked again. "I was in one of those?"

MC nodded. The room went quiet as Yoosung sat lost in thought before his eyes lit up.

"Did you play this game?" Asked Yoosung curiously. "Is that why I came out of your phone?" MC couldn't bear to look at him and stood up abruptly.

"W-why don't we talk about this a little more later? I uh, still need to wash your clothes and stuff before I- oh my god I forgot about work!" She exclaimed, hands tugging at her hair. She had completely forgotten about her early shift in the midst of caring for the blonde. "Oh what am I going to do? Um.. do you think you'd be okay staying here by yourself? I have plenty of food if you're hungry, and medicines in the bathroom cabinet. You can help yourself to anything in my home while I'm gone. I'm so sorry to throw this at you last minute!"

"Oh I don't mind at all!" Said Yoosung. He was a little nervous about being left alone so suddenly but he didn't want to be an even bigger burden than he already was. "You do what you have to d-ACHEW." He sniffed a little before rubbing his nose. "I'll be okay."

MC didn't look very convinced but she figured she didn't have a choice. If he was feeling well enough she had to go to work. She was behind on her bills enough as it was already. With a small groan and a few steps in place she headed to the door.

"I'll go throw your clothes in the wash downstairs okay? I'll only be gone for a few hours today so I'll dry them when I get back. Don't leave this room, I don't want you stuck outside again alright?" She said hurriedly as she slipped on her shoes. Just as she opened the door another thought occurred to her.

"Oh! My work number's on the fridge and if you get bored you can feel free to use my laptop. There's a game on there called WOW I think you'll really like. I haven't paid the subscription though so you can't get too far but, it should be fine until I get back. Bye Yoosung, I lo-fffff nothing bye see you later!" And with that she was out the door.

Yoosung sat alone on the couch in the suddenly quiet room. He was alone in a girl's house. This was both exciting and slightly terrifying. What was he going to do for the next few hours all by himself? Usually he'd play LOLOL in his spare time but he didn't think that was going to be possible. The thought of never playing LOLOL again felt like a stab in the chest but he couldn't afford to have another emotional breakdown. If he was going to calm down the first thing he needed was a shower.

The hot water had felt amazing after his run in with the rain the previous night. Even his nose felt better from the steam. He took a deep breath and sighed as he dried himself off, looking at himself in the mirror for the first time since he'd been in this strange predicament. He was surprised to see he didn't look quite as he remembered. His eyes seemed smaller than they used to, his nose more round. He placed a hand under his chin while the other combed through his hair. It was strange to see himself like this.

As he turned towards the door to leave he realized he had made a small mistake. Without his clothes for the next few hours he was at all a loss of what to do. He definitely couldn't put back on the clothes MC had been kind enough to lend him, and walking around naked was definitely not going to happen. His cheeks burned at the thought of grabbing some extra clothes from her room. No! He wasn't going to go through her drawers! What kind of man was he?

A purple robe hanging from the back of the bathroom door caught his eye. He groaned. No way. Not going to happen. There was no way he was going to put on her bathrobe. That would be too weird. An invasion of her personal space perhaps even. He stood staring in frustration at the purple offender before huffing in defeat.

Yoosung ventured into the living room with a faint smell of strawberries trailing behind him. He sniffed the air with his newly cleared nose before bringing the fluffy purple fabric draped around him to his face. The sweet scent filled his nose and he smiled softly. This wasn't so bad.

The robe, though a little tight, was actually fairly comfortable. Even if it was a little embarrassing. He thanked whatever gods there might be watching him right now that Seven couldn't see him. He'd never hear the end of it.

It was as if Seven's power of coincidence held no bounds as Yoosung's phone sent a vibration up his side. He had complete forgotten he'd put his phone in his pocket. He'd really need to start keeping better track of his things.

Pulling out his phone he saw a new notification from the RFA messenger. The message was indeed from Seven himself. Yoosung flushed, dearly hoping he couldn't somehow see him right now. He wouldn't put it past the hacker to figure out a way to bug his phone.

"Hey, YOOSUNG! You're not avoiding me now are you? I thought you had something important to talk to me about 0.0"

Yoosung had entirely forgotten about asking Zen to contact Seven on his behalf. He was really starting to lose it lately.

"Seven! I'm so sorry I haven't responded, I've had a really rough couple of days. You wouldn't BELIEVE what I've been through! :'( Did you manage to fix what's wrong with the chat room yet?"

He closed his phone and set it back in his pocket. He'd have to explain to Seven everything that's happened to him so far. Though he doubted he'd get him to believe him. All he wanted was to figure out what was going on in his life and be able to access the messenger again. He felt sad he couldn't even read the messages, let alone interact with everyone. With how Seven was he knew he would have some time before he responded again. Maybe he would go check out that game MC had been talking about. He'd love to take his mind off things for a little while.

MC rushed into work with only a minute to spare. With a gasp she fumbled in her bag for her I.D., clocking in at the computer as fast as she could. She couldn't believe she made it. With how traffic had been she was sure she was going to be late.

After locking things securely in her locker she tied on her apron and started heading over to the back of the kitchen. Her mind couldn't help but trail back to Yoosung on the way. She hoped he was doing alright and didn't need her for anything while she was gone. There was plenty of food, medicine and entertainment for him while she would be away.

As she turned the corner to find the list of tables to be scheduled a familiar face popped into view. Her blood ran cold as Kyle ran up to her, smiling like nothing had ever happened. She wanted to turn around and leave but couldn't remember how to use her legs all of a sudden. It was as if her shoes had been super glued to the floor.

"MC! Oh man, I thought you weren't going to make it in today! Good to see you!" He said cheerfully, playfully patting her on the shoulder. She leaned away from his touch and laughed nervously. Her skin started to tingle uncomfortably where his hand had been.

"Uh, h-hi Kyle." Said MC uneasily.

"Weather's much better out today than it was yesterday, huh? Say, how did the phone shopping go by the way? You manage to get anything?" He asked with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.  
MC watched him as he walked over towards the dishwasher.

"Oh, no I didn't actually. Funny story, haha it turns out I uh, left my wallet at home. Whoops." She said, giving a half smile. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she couldn't help but wonder where the rest of the employees were. Sure it was early but there had to be someone else here by now.

"Aw, well that's a shame. Maybe another time then." He said as he started filling the shelves with plates and bowls from the washer. He looked back at her and grinned. "You know, I wouldn't mind taking you there again after work. It wouldn't be any trouble."

MC gulped and took a small step back, backing away towards the spreadsheet on the wall. If she could just figure out which tables she was serving today she could get out of here.

"Oh, no. That's okay. Really." She protested. "I don't think I could afford one right now anyway. Have to wait after payday... You know how it is."

A spoon clattered against the floor as Kyle swore under his breath. Picking it up he threw it somewhat haphazardly into the dishwasher. His shoulders raised for a moment before he turned to face her, the ever present smile still on his face.

"Ah, well that's too bad. I understand though. If you ever need a ride don't be afraid to ask though." He insisted before turning back around to handle the pots and pans. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them as they stood in the kitchen. The only sound to be heard being of the pots and pans banging together lightly as Kyle readied them atop the stoves for the day. Something scratched at the back of MC's throat. Her lips pursed and before she knew it she had blurted the one thing burning in her mind since she had first seen him around that corner.

"I'm uh, sorry about last night." She said softly before mentally kicking herself. Why was she always apologizing? She hadn't wanted to say that at all. Instead of asking for an apology she had given one instead. Why was she always like this?

"What? What're you sorry about? I told you I didn't mind driving you around it's no big deal." He said casually as he started to rifle through the silverware, putting them away in their respective drawers.

"But, I jumped out of the car, and you, you were trying to-" she words cut short as she saw the glint coming from his hand. He turned to face her, a confused look on his face.

"What are you talking about MC?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. MC's eyes stayed trained on the large butcher knife clutched in his hand as he took a step forward. "You're being a little weird. All I did was drop you off at the store last night. Nothing to be sorry about at all. Is there?" He asked. It didn't sound like a question.

MC's eyes widened as her heart thumped against her ribs. What was he going to do? She couldn't move. Her entire body felt like it was on fire as her ears started to ring. His eyes pierced through her like daggers as he waited for her to respond. No matter how hard she tried to she couldn't will the words to come out.

Suddenly the slam of a door caught both of there attention, unglueing MC from the spot as she jumped in fright.

"Gooooooodmorning everybody! Oh, hey MC! Hi Kyle! What's up?" Asked Rachael as she mosied her way into the kitchen, throwing on her apron completely oblivious to the atmosphere around her. Before MC could respond Kyle beat her to it.

"Oh, nothing much just catching up with our friend while I do the dishes." Said Kyle, a smile on his face once again. His voice was completely different than it had been only moments ago.

"Isn't that right MC?" He asked, turning to face her with a wink. The knife he was holding slid without a sound into the wooden block on top of the counter where it belonged. MC didn't have the courage to argue.


	5. Chapter 5 Acceptance

Chapter 5  
Acceptance

The day had dragged unlike any other and MC had never felt happier to finally be home. Her skin still crawled from the ordeal in the kitchen. She shivered. How could Rachael not notice something was amiss? Of course, she herself had lacked the confidence to say a word of it. The glint of the butcher knife still flickered in the back of her mind. Had he really been trying to threaten her?

It couldn't be, maybe she was imagining things. After all, even Rachael hadn't noticed anything. But the way he looked at her with those eyes. A shudder ran down her spine. There's no way she could've imagined that. Maybe she'd have to talk to Rachael about it. She could sort it out for her. Goodness knows she wouldn't be trying to confront Kyle on her own again anytime soon.

As she reached her door carrying Yoosung's freshly dried clothes a loud noise met her ears. Her mind immediately jumped to every worse case scenario she could possibly imagine as she yanked open her door. A string of curses filtered out into the hallway and she gasped.

Slamming the door on her way in she bolted towards the back of the apartment where the noise was emanating from. Even through her closed bedroom door she could hear another string of curses fly into the air. What had happened while she was gone?

Wrenching the door open her eyes met a sight unlike any of the ones she had previously imagined. Yoosung, dressed in only her purple bathrobe and with his hair a mess, sat atop her bed. Her laptop rested in his lap as he yelled angrily towards the screen. She felt as if her ribs were going to crack from the pressure.

"Fucking hell, what is WRONG with you people? Get on the other side! Shit! Fuck! Noooooo! No, no, no! Don't go over there you stupid, aaaaaaugh!" He yelled, red in the face and completely oblivious to his new company. His mind was completely immersed in the World of Warcraft. It was almost as if he had discovered something as good as LOLOL. Though of course nothing would ever surpass his game of choice. This would just have to do for now.

Laughter broke through his headset and he turned to see MC cackling in the doorway. The color drained from his face as he slammed the laptop shut. He had been unaware anyone would have heard him speak so crassly. Embarrassment flooded through him as he realized he was still dressed in the same robe from before. He probably looked ridiculous.

"MC!" He squeaked "I-I didn't think you'd be home till later!"

"Yoosung," MC said between laughs as she tried to catch her breath. "Its already past 5!" Shock flashed across Yoosung's face he checked the clock, realizing exactly how late it was. He couldn't believe he had lost track of time so easily.

"Here, get changed ya goofball." She giggled, tossing his clothes onto the bed. "I'm going to go make some dinner okay? Go wash up."

Yoosung sat on the bed as he watched MC disappear from the room. His cheeks felt hot as he picked up his clothes. A strange sensation swirled inside of him. He hoped she didn't think he was weird or anything now.

"By the way," came MC's voice again as her head peaked through the door. "Purple is definitely your color, very cute."

He was surprised his face didn't burst into flames that very moment.

"So, what did he say then?" Asked MC as she piled food onto a plate. She and Yoosung had both spent the better part of an hour cooking together. When Yoosung had finally come out of the bedroom, albeit still with dusted-pink cheeks, he insisted that he help her cook. He wanted to repay her for letting him stay with her and for helping him so much in the past few days.

At first MC had tried to brush off his requests. She believed his presence was thanks enough for all that she was doing. It was entirely her pleasure to do anything she could. Of course, she couldn't exactly tell him this directly. She wasn't sure if he was aware of her feelings but she didn't want to make it any more obvious. Fantasizing was one thing, but when the real thing was right in front of you anxiety had a way of keeping your mouth shut.

Through some very hard perseverance, and probably the cutest begging she'd ever seen, she finally let up and let him help her prepare the dinner together. She had selected something she knew would get him smiling. Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and a side of veggies. Not very healthy, but she wasn't very worried about that right now.

Yoosung had beamed when she announced what they would be cooking. She kept a knowing smile to herself. It wasn't like he was completely aware she knew what all his favorite foods were. That was something she planned to keep to herself for as long as she could. Besides, it would seem creepy if he found out exactly how much she knew about him. She wanted to keep things as natural as they could be. What with the circumstances being what they were, of course.

"He still thinks I'm messing around. I swore I was being serious but he just won't believe a word I say! I don't know what to do." Yoosung admitted in frustration.

"Did you mention anything about the game?" MC asked, taking a bite out of her chicken leg.

"Well, no I didn't." Said Yoosung. "He already thinks I'm messing with him. If I say something like that he'll definitely think I'm crazy!"

"Oh, I don't know about that..." pondered MC, "Some people who've played the game have a theory online actually."

"Really? About what?" He asked curiously, tilting his head. She had to look away from him before she made a noise. He was irresistible whenever he did that, she couldn't take it.

"W-well," she started, clearing her throat. "Some people think he knows that he's inside a game. Some of the... things he's said make it feel that way I guess. Or sometimes some of the options hint to it. Of course, I've only really read about it. I haven't seen it in game much since I only played one route." She mentally cursed herself for letting that last bit slip. Luckily Yoosung seemed to have either not heard her little confession or was too concerned with her theory to notice.

"What? Really?!" Yoosung exclaimed in surprise. MC nodded.

"Yeah, here, tell him that I told you about it. Tell him everything. If he still doesn't believe you, at least you tried." She said with a shrug.

"I guess you're right MC. I'll definitely give it a shot if you think it'll work." Said Yoosung, smiling again.

He didn't know why but he felt much happier today. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad being here. Knowing he was supposedly a character from a game didn't change the fact that he was still himself. He still had a connection back to where his friends were, even if it was limited. They still felt real to him. Something inside him made him wonder if maybe there was something more to all of this than it seemed. He smiled to himself as he took another bite of potatoes. Maybe things really would be okay in the end.

"Oh, Yoosung," MC giggled reaching a hand up hesitantly, "You got a little something on your face." Biting her lip to stifle another giggle she reached forward, gently wiping a bit of potato off of his cheek with a napkin in hand. They both looked at each other for a moment before each letting out a soft laugh.

"Ha, thanks..." Yoosung said, smiling before looking back down at his food. It wasn't so bad at all.

Yoosung lay on the couch curled up with a blanket. This had become quite the familiar scenario over the last few days. He wouldn't say anything to MC, but the springs had started digging into his back uncomfortably after being on them for so long at a time. There was no way he'd subject her to the same fate however because he knew as soon as he mentioned something she would insist on trading places. She was too kind like that. Though the thought made him smile he didn't want to make her do anything that would make her uncomfortable.

He sniffed a bit and cleared his throat. The cold was still in his system even after all the medicine from MC. The corners of his lips curled into a smile. She had been so caring and kind all day. His chest swelled happily as he relived the later half of the day to himself. Watching T.V. together, playing games and telling stupid jokes. It had felt so light compared to the days before. If he could stay like this forever he wouldn't mind being stuck in this apartment.

He wondered what delights the next day would have in store. Realizing she'd probably have to work again made his heart sink. It would be another day spent mostly alone. Back at his old house he was used to being alone. Ever since he had moved out of his parents house he hadn't really lived in such close quarters with anyone. He didn't even call his mom all that often for visits anymore.

His mother.

A heavy sadness welled up inside him as he realized how far his mother, along with the rest of his family, was to him now. Would he ever get to see them again? Game or not they were important to him. He was thankful at least that they wouldn't have to suffer too much for quite some time. They were used to him not calling. He felt a stab of regret in his chest. Why hadn't he called his family more often? What if he never got to talk to them again?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, he wouldn't take that as a possibility. He would see them again. He'd find a way to get back to his own world. Er, game. Whatever. He didn't care what it was at this point. The initial shock was over with, and as much as it should be, he didn't find himself bothered by it as he had before. What had he been thinking the other day? Plenty of people would miss him if something happened. People could be missing him right now. No one really knew where he was...

A thought struck him and he gasped. He had completely forgotten to try to contact Seven like MC had asked. She was probably sound asleep by now in her bed. His mind drifted, wondering what she might look like sleeping. Maybe she was curled up in a ball, hugging her pillow. Or she could be splayed out like a starfish with her body taking up the entire bed. He bet she looked cute. Wait, why did he think that? He flushed and shook his head. He shouldn't be being weird about his new friend. She was being kind enough to let him stay in her house and sleep on her couch. He wasn't going to repay her by having weird thoughts about her.

The bright light of his phone made him wince as he flipped it open, laying on his back. He might as well try texting Seven again before he tried to sleep. Shifting slightly to relieve the pressure from the springs, he opened the app. A few new messages caught his eye. Jaehee was concerned about his repeated absence from the chat rooms and wanted to inquire if he was doing alright. He sent a quick reply that he was actually doing much better now, though his phone still wasn't letting him into the chat rooms. With a thank you for her concern he moved onto the next message. It was from Zen asking if he was done playing around yet about the America thing. He decided he'd answer that one later. Finally he made his way onto the message thread with Seven and took a deep breath. What was the worst that could happen?

"Hey Seven, I know you still don't believe me but MC here told me to tell you something that would probably change your mind. I wish you'd just take me seriously because I don't really want to say this. MC said it was probably the only way I could get you to listen though so I'm going to listen to her. We're all inside a game. Well, I'm not anymore I mean. You are. All of you guys. It's something called Mystic Messenger. I guess it's a dating game? I couldn't get her to tell me anymore about it. She keeps changing the subject every time I do. But there. I said it! Please don't think I'm crazy :'("

He hit send and closed his eyes. There was no turning back now. Rolling to his side he let his eyes drift to the window. The moon was so bright tonight. He stared at the night sky and sighed, turning away from it. The night sky always made him feel depressed. It was too quiet at night and made him think things he'd rather forget. With how things were now he had even more on his mind than usual. So many conflicting emotions.

His hand buzzed as his screen lit up. A message from Seven had appeared in his chat. Surprised, he brought the screen to his face. Seven didn't usually reply this fast.

"LOL Yoosung, what are you talking about? You feeling okay?"

He rolled his eyes and started typing a reply. So much for that idea. There wasn't a way he couldn't exactly take it back now though so he might as well stick to it. He didn't like lying anyway. Even if the truth sounded ridiculous.

"I'm mostly fine now. I'm a little sick from the rain last night though. But I'm telling the truth! We really all were inside a game! I don't know if that makes us not real or something, I'm still so confused, but it's the truth!"

The reply was almost instantaneous.

"Stop."

"What?"

Yoosung was confused. What was he saying that for?

"Yoosung, you haven't told anyone else about this yet have you?"

He felt uneasy all of a sudden. Since when did Seven get so serious? Maybe this meant he was on to something. His fingers hesitated to write a reply.

"No, uh, not about the game thing anyway. Do you believe me now?"

"Yoosung don't tell anyone what you just told me. I have to go. I might not respond for awhile. Don't panic. And don't. Tell. Anyone."

"Wait, Seven, what're you saying? Why not? What's going on?"

No reply came. Yoosung could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He felt worried about what had just happened. Maybe something was really wrong. Either way, he was sure Seven must have believed him now. But why had he been so insistent on him keeping it a secret?

"Yoosung, are you okay? You don't look so good. Is the cold not going away? Do you need me to pick up some more medicine on my way back home?" Asked MC as she readied her lunch bag. She knew she worked at a restaurant but being surrounded by the same food everyday really made a person want to start bringing their own. Yoosung had been spacey all day and it was starting to worry her. She didn't want a repeat of a few days ago to happen. Even if she needed the money she wouldn't hesitate to call off from work to take care of him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm okay. I was just thinking was all." He said, playing with the hem of his shirt. "I talked to Seven last night."

"Oh, really? What'd he say?" She asked.

"He told me not to tell anyone." He replied simply.

"Aha! So it was true!" She exclaimed, pointing at him dramatically. Pride filled her chest and she smiled. "Maybe now he'll be able to fix things properly for you!"

"Maybe, I'm not sure. He started acting... weird. He got really serious all of a sudden. It was kind of spooky actually." Said Yoosung, giving her an uneasy look. "I'm not sure what he's going to do. He won't answer any of my messages now."

"Oh..." said MC softly. "I hope everything's okay... Maybe he was just surprised? Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be okay."

"Yeah, you're right. Everything should be okay." He repeated, smiling softly. "Hey MC, how much longer before you have to go to work?"

"Oh I still have about an hour before I have to leave." She replied after checking the clock over on the wall. "Will you be okay by yourself again until I get home?"

"Yeah, I should be fine." He smiled, pausing for a moment. "Thank you for being so nice to me. I feel really happy being here with you." He didn't know what made him say that. His chest felt fuzzy. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

A blush dusted MC's cheeks and she turned away, mindlessly straightening the contents of her couch side table.

"O-Oh, it's no trouble at all. I'm... I'm glad you like being here with me." She felt her heart pound in her chest while a tingle traveled down her spine.

"I'll miss you while you're gone." He admitted. It felt so light and refreshing to talk so openly. "Do you think we could do something together when you get off work?"

MC thought she was about to have a heart attack.

"Huh? Oh uh like what?" She asked, busying herself with straightening the couch. The cushions had been messed up and she needed to fix them. That was her story anyway.

"I'm not sure, my friends and I didn't get to go out very often because of school. Maybe a cafe? Or the park? Whatever you like would be perfect." He said after thinking. MC breathed a sigh of relief. She had almost thought he was asking her out on a date. He just wanted to hang out was all. She felt a bit bad assuming that he had meant anything different. He had only known her for a few days it's not like he was going to sweep her off her feet and take her off to marry him out of the blue like that.

"Oh that sounds great actually! I haven't been to a cafe in a long time I'd love to go to one of those." She said after composing herself.

"Great! And I could pay for it. Since you've been doing so much for me it would only be fair." He said, feeling rather proud of himself. He wanted to be helpful to her for once. Though that feeling of pride didn't last very long.

"Um, Yoosung, I don't want to say no or anything but, I'm not sure you have enough money to pay for something like that." She said delicately.

"What are you taking about? I have at least 50,000 won in my wallet. That should be more than enough. Oh no, is American coffee super expensive? Is that why you don't get to go? Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to get your hopes up like that!" He said suddenly very apologetic. He looked as if he really might tear up at any second.

"No, no, no Yoosung that's not it at all." She laughed into her hand. Why did he have to be so cute? "No I mean, I guess I should have said I don't think you have the right kind of money. Cafe's here aren't going to take won. They take dollars. American money."

Yoosung made a face before pursing his lips in a pout. He looked slightly embarrassed with himself.

"Oh, that's what you meant..." he said as she giggled and nodded.

"But that's okay, I don't mind paying." She assured him.

"That's not it." He whined. "I don't want you to have to do everything for me all of the time. I shouldn't be too dependent on you. I'm a man, I want to be able to give you things too." A blush covered his cheeks as he realized what he said.

"I-I mean, even if we're just friends, I wanna be able to do stuff for you too. It's not just the food... I'm going to need new clothes soon too. I don't think I can keep wearing the same ones everyday much longer... But I don't want to make you have to pay for everything for me." He admitted, avoiding her gaze.

"Yoosung..." MC said softly. She hadn't realized he had felt so strongly about this. He really hadn't changed at all coming into her world from the one he left. She wished there was something she could do to help, but she knew nothing she did could solve this problem. He would want to fix it himself.

"Wait," he said. An idea had popped into his head. "What if I come work with you? If I got a job at your place I could make money too! And I'd get to see you more often too!" He felt exceptionally proud of his idea.

MC pondered the thought for a moment. She didn't think that was a bad idea at all actually. Except, how would her friends react to her bringing a strange man into the building requesting they give him a job? How would that even go over?

Her skin crawled when she remembered Kyle worked with her. That sickening smile still hadn't made its way out of her mind since her last encounter with him. She wasn't sure she wanted Yoosung to be anywhere near that guy. Would it be safe for him to be there? And what if people started getting ideas about the two of them? She blushed at the thought but shook her head. She didn't want people to make assumptions about her or Yoosung.

Just as she was about to voice her wavering opinion of the idea she looked up to see Yoosung's hopeful face. His eyes sparkled as he waited expectantly for her answer. She groaned inwardly at herself. There was no way she could ever resist a face like that. What she wouldn't do to pinch those cheeks of his.

"You know what, that's actually not a bad idea." She said, watching as Yoosung did a gleeful fist-pump.

"So, do you think I could come in with you today? I could apply and then maybe walk around town while I wait for you to get off. I have my phone with me so I wouldn't get lost this time." He pleaded. MC was having the hardest time not jumping right into this poor boys arms. Did he not realize what he was doing to her right now? It felt like her heart was about to blast off into space.

"Ooh... alright, sure you can come with me." She conceded, laughing as he jumped up and down happily. He was just like a cute little puppy, excitedly yipping to go for a walk with their owner. If only he had a tail he'd be the spitting image of the idea. He was just so cute. Too cute. Oh no she couldn't handle this.

"Uh, I'll be right back! St-stay here, okay?" She said, quickly bolting from the room. Any more of that and she swore she was going to explode. Was he really oblivious of how adorable he was? Or was he doing that just to mess with her? Either way she couldn't handle another second of it or she wouldn't be responsible for her actions.

Those bright purple eyes. That cute little nose. His golden blonde hair and those soft looking lips. It was a wonder she hadn't lost it by now.


	6. Chapter 6 Stars

Chapter 6  
Stars

The drive to work had been nothing short of exhilarating. Yoosung's excitement was certainly contagious and MC couldn't help but find herself feeling giddy along with him. He seemed to really be looking forward to this job. If he got it, that was. MC was sure with a good word from her and the confidence he was showing right now he shouldn't have too much trouble getting hired in.

He had started listing off all of the things he'd finally be able to start helping with. Buying food, paying for bills, restocking all of the medicine he had used while he was sick. MC tried to insist that it was fine and that she was used to living paycheck to paycheck. However, Yoosung wasn't having it. He wanted to be useful while he was staying with her. After all, if he wasn't going to school now there was no excuse why he couldn't help out. He had been a little upset that so much of his money had gone to school by now all for nothing but he tried not to let it bother him too much. It felt like he was starting over, he had told himself.

When they finally pulled up into the parking lot a familiar face was waiting for her. She felt a rush of panic overtake her. They were going to see her with Yoosung. Already she could hear all of the accusations she'd have to defend herself against. This wasn't something she wanted to go through as soon as she showed up to work.

"Hey MC!" Called Rachael from beside the restaurant. Her expression turned to one of confusion as she spotted Yoosung in her passenger seat.

"Just act natural okay? Pretend we've been friends for a long time on the internet or something and I'm helping get you a job. Just.. don't let her know you're living with me okay? She can smell fear." Whispered MC hastily as she unbuckled herself, stepping out of the car. Yoosung nodded and followed suit, dutifully trailing behind her as she walked up to what he assumed was a friend of her's.

"Hi Rachael!" MC said cheerfully, trying to hide the anxiety building inside her. "Busy day?"

"Yeah, busy... Hey MC who's your friend? I've never seen him before." Rachael asked suspiciously.

"Oh, him? He's an online friend I've had for a little while now. He, uh, needed a job so I thought I'd try to get him a recommendation here." MC replied. It took every ounce of self control not to fiddle with her hands. She always did that when she was nervous and it would've been a dead give away.

"Hello, my name's Yoosung. Yoosung Kim, it's nice to meet you." Said Yoosung happily. Rachael's eyes lit up almost immediately.

"What, really? No way! Hey, MC, his name's the same as that guy you were obse-"

"RACHAEL!" MC shrieked uncontrollably. "Uh, why don't you help me show him to the back so he can talk to Paul about getting an application?" Yoosung and Rachael both looked at her in surprise. Though as where Yoosung seemed merely confused at her sudden interruption, Rachael seemed to have her own ideas. MC felt a cold sweat coming on when she saw her friend's lips curl into a devious smile.

"Yeah sure no problem MC. Come on Yoosung, follow me." She said, curling a finger at him as she headed towards the door. MC groaned as she walked with Yoosung after Rachael into the restaurant. She led them all the way into the back towards the management office, knocking a few times. After a few moments of silence the door opened wide.

"Hm? What is it?" Said a tall balding man from the doorway. His scruffy mustache wiggled with every word he spoke. "Who's this?" He asked, eyeing Yoosung over his glasses.

"Um, my name's Yoosung Kim and I wanted to know if you had any job openings." Yoosung answered hesitantly. "I can cook, or clean, or do anything you'd need me to do. I'm not picky at all."

"Yeah, he'd be a very good worker. I guarantee it." added MC. "Haven't you been saying we needed another bus boy? We could get so much more done if we didn't have to clean the tables between each customer ourselves."

"Oh, you did say that Paul!" Rachael pointed out. "We've been needing one forever and you know if MC says someone's good they will be. Give the poor guy a shot." She finished, giving Yoosung a playful nudge. "I'm sure the other waitresses would be thrilled."

Paul scrunched up his face in thought, fingers tapping on the doorways edge. MC found herself pleading in her mind that he would at least consider it. She didn't want poor Yoosung to be depressed again.

"Come into my office." He said simply, gesturing for Yoosung to follow him inside. Yoosung's eyes lit up with delight and he walked excitedly inside. MC let out a sigh as the door closed. She really hoped the talk would go well.

"Sooooo, your new boyfriend's pretty cute. Where'd you find him?" Rachael teased while giving MC a knowing smirk.

"Wh-what? He's not my boyfriend. I told you he's just a friend I'm doing a favor for. Nothing else is going on." MC insisted, trying in vain to hide a blush forming on her face.

"Oh so he's free game then? Well that's good because he's really cute so I thought I'd-"

"N-no!" MC said before she could stop herself, covering her mouth in mortification.

"Aha! So you do like him!" Rachael said triumphantly. "I thought so! MC you're way too easy to read." She finished with a laugh.

MC's face flushed a deep red as she averted her eyes away from her friend. Rachael couldn't help but laugh. This was so exciting for her! For the past three years that she had known MC she'd never had a boyfriend. Let alone even like a guy. This was groundbreaking territory and she couldn't help but tease her friend.

"Oh man, this is awesome! Don't worry, I won't say anything." She winked playfully and smiled. "But boy, is Kyle going to be upset. I never seen a guy more gaga for someone before. I hope he'll be alright." Rachael pondered to herself. She had been friends with him for a little over a year now and had helped him get his current job there at the restaurant. It hadn't taken long for the guy to fall head over heels for her friend MC though. The poor guy would be devastated.

MC had other thoughts on the matter. She felt a sense of panic at the thought of Kyle knowing she liked someone. With how he'd acted the other day she didn't think it would be good for him to know about something like this. A shiver went down her spine.

Without warning the office door opened and out flew Yoosung, wrapping his arms around MC excitedly. He jumped up and down in place happily before pulling away abruptly.

"Ah, sorry! I just got so excited I couldn't help myself! MC, I got the job!" Yoosung said excitedly, beaming brightly at his friend. MC had tensed up during the unexpected hug and stood in silence. She was so warm all of a sudden.

"That's great, dude!" Said Rachael, reaching up a hand to high five him. "Have fun cleaning tables and washing dishes all day!" She laughed. Yoosung simply smiled, proud of himself for his accomplishment.

"W-wow, that's really great Yoosung." Said MC, finally getting her bearings back. "When do you start?"

"Right now!" He laughed.

Well, at least she wouldn't have to worry about him being around town on his own anymore.

The day had mostly gone by without a hitch. Her worst fear had been pushed out of her mind after learning Kyle actually had the day off. At least she wouldn't have to deal with that disaster for the time being. A thought crossed her mind that maybe she should voice her concerns to her boss. After witnessing how quickly Kyle had changed once Rachael had entered the room made her feel as if it would be no use. Though maybe that was just it. Maybe she was overreacting and that's why Rachael hadn't seemed at all alarmed by the atmosphere. It wouldn't be the first time her anxiety had led her to believe things that weren't really there. She could have misinterpreted the situation. He was only putting away the dishes after all. It's not like he would've planned to be holding that knife exactly as she said that. Could he?

Yoosung turned out to be even more dedicated to the job than she thought he would be. She wasn't used to coming back to such clean tables and floors after a customer left. Usually there would be ketchup stains, salt everywhere, or at least a plethora of crumbs on every seat. All of that changed once Yoosung started working. He seemed determined to make a good first impression at least. She had to admit she felt rather proud of him.

The only thing she could have done without throughout the day would've had to have been Rachael's constant teasing. Every knowing look thrown her way, every eyebrow wiggle, every snide comment. As much as she enjoyed her friendship with the girl, she could be quite the pain. She hoped this wasn't going to turn into a daily thing with her. At this rate her blood pressure was going to shoot through the roof.

She couldn't be more thankful for the day to finally be over. After Yoosung finished saying his goodbyes to his new coworkers they proceeded back to the car. Everyone was trying to get home as fast as possible and before they knew it they were one of the only people left in the parking lot. If MC's locker hadn't gotten stuck they would've been one of the first few out. Now it seemed instead they were one of the last. They were both quite tired after working for the past 8 hours and just wanted to get out of the place. Their lunch hadn't been so bad on the other hand. MC had gotten Yoosung to sit on the bench under the tree with her like she always did to eat her lunch. Of course, since Yoosung hadn't had a lunch to bring with him on such short notice, MC had gladly shared with him. Much to the teasing of her other friend.

"Alright Yoosung, ready to go to the cafe?" MC said happily, looking over to her passenger. Yoosung smiled and nodded happily. "Okay, let's get going then."

She turned the key in the ignition.

Click click click click

"What the?" She said in confusion.

"Is something wrong with the car?" Asked Yoosung, feeling concerned.

"I don't know, it's never made that noise before..." She answered, trying again.

Click click click click

"Oh no, I think the battery's dead!" She said in a panic. This wasn't good at all. She couldn't afford to get a new battery right now. There was barely enough money to pay her bills! She was already on thin ice with the landlord as it was. Plus the fact that she'd already gone days without a phone. All because she simply couldn't afford a new one. Why was this all happening to her?

MC let out a groan before letting her head fall onto the steering wheel, her hands laying limp at her sides. Yoosung wasn't sure what to do to comfort her. He felt sad watching her and guilty that there wasn't anything he could do to help. Things must be far worse for her than she was letting on.

He reached a hand over to her hesitantly, gently placing it on her back. It was the only thing he could think of to do. Whenever he was upset, sometimes even the littlest gesture could make things much better. He hoped that his would at least be enough to help her calm down. She tensed but only for a moment before relaxing at his touch.

"I'm sorry Yoosung..." She said softly, the steering wheel muffling her words. "I don't think we can go to the cafe anymore... I need to call a- oh right. No phone..." She let out an agitated sigh and slumped further.

"It's okay, it's not your fault." Yoosung reassured her, rubbing her back. "Um, we could use my phone to call someone. If you wanted to..."

"Yeah... this is going to cost me so much." She groaned. She lifted her head from the steering wheel, a blank look on her face. "We'll have to get the car towed back to the apartment... I won't be able to get a battery until after next paycheck hits. That's even if I can afford it at all... The towing's going to cost me around $200, and the battery's gonna be another hundred. I'm behind on bills, I don't have a phone." Her head flopped back onto the wheel. "What am I going to do?"

"Well... I'm working now. I'll be able to help you now. Don't feel so down MC. I'm sure we can get through this if we work together." Said Yoosung, trying to be positive. "Do you think maybe your parents would be able to help out too? This seems like a really big problem for you. You shouldn't be so stressed."

MC stayed quiet for awhile, debating on what she should say. It's not like he knew so it wasn't his fault. She wasn't bothered by it as much anymore but that didn't mean she wanted to bring it up.

"No, I don't think that would work. I have to take care of it myself... But, I would appreciate anything you could do to help." She said, turning to face him with her cheek pressed to the wheel. "Alright, let's call them then."

MC and Yoosung had passed the time waiting for the tow truck to arrive talking about various things. She had learned that he had a sister and heard all about the stories of what they had done together when they were little. These days she was well off living on her own it seemed. Yoosung told her stories about how his mother tried to teach him how to make kimchi and he had made it much too spicy. MC had laughed with him as he told her how bad it had tasted but that he was determined to improve upon it one day. He swore he was better at it now.

MC had been more hesitant on sharing stories than Yoosung but eventually decided to give it a go. She told him all about the time her and her family had taken a drive all the way out west towards the Grand Canyon. It had been such a long drive but it had been nice to spend some family time together. Her parents were usually off at work or too busy to pay attention to her while they were home. It wasn't that they didn't care about her or anything, they just had to make money to take care of her. They weren't the most well off family in town and had to save for months to afford to do something together. So having a family vacation like that had been one of her most treasured memories. Yoosung mentioned that he'd love to meet them one day. A sad smile had crossed MC's lips before she agreed. Maybe one day she could introduce him to them.

When the truck had finally arrived neither one of them was feeling the least bit upset anymore. Talking for so long had seemed to clear their systems. Sometimes it was nice to just sit and talk about whatever came to mind. Of course, a small tinge of worry still sat in MC's chest as she signed the paperwork and handed her card over to the man in the tow truck. She really hoped she'd be able to scrape by another month. Of course, now that she had Yoosung with her, things didn't seem quite so hopeless.

"So, do we just go back home now? It's almost 6:30. It's going to get dark soon." Asked Yoosung as they watched the tow truck drive away back towards her apartment.

"I'm not sure, I really didn't want to have to go home so soon. I'm sorry we couldn't go to the cafe today like we planned." Said MC, looking off down the street. There must be something they could do instead of going home.

"It's okay, we can always go another time. I don't really mind what we do. I just like spending time with you." He admitted. Even in her depressed state he managed to make her feel so light with just a few simple words. Curse this boy.

"Well," she started, looking down the other side of the street. "There's a park not too far from here. We could always go there for a little bit before heading home. What do you think?"

"Okay, that sounds like a nice idea." Said Yoosung with a smile. It didn't really matter where they went to him, as long as they got to spend time together he would follow her. He didn't know why but just being with her made him happy enough to go wherever she took him.

The walk to the park took a little longer than MC had expected. She had been so distracted that more than once she had to backtrack to take a different turn. It was probably just the stress getting to her. Usually she didn't have any trouble finding her way through the city. Her mind seemed particularly foggy today.

However, once they finally reached the small stretch of land she felt she could breathe easy once again. The sun was starting to head south and the air felt cool. Everything felt peaceful. No one really ever came to this park anymore. It had become somewhat of a pass time for her to visit it every so often and clean up weeds and other disarray around the area. Today, however, was different. She needed to relax.

"You're going on the swings?" Asked Yoosung, a bit of doubt in his voice.

"Yeah. What, have you never been on one of these things? They're amazing." She laughed, plopping down onto one of the small rubber sheets. The chains rattled at her sudden weight.

"Well, I mean yeah but not since I was a kid." He laughed.

"Well who said just because you're an adult you can't anymore? Come on, sit next to me. It'll be fun." She insisted as she lazily drifted side to side. Yoosung didn't seem to take much coaxing and was soon seated next to her, holding onto the chains.

MC smiled and pushed off with her feet. An idea had struck her.

"I bet I can go higher than you~" She teased, kicking her legs back and forth. Yoosung laughed before looking at her seriously, a new look in his eye.

"Are you challenging Shooting Star himself to a feat of strength?" He said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"Maybe I am, what're you going to do about it?" She said as she stuck her tongue out playfully. He looked as if she had insulted his great great ancestors.

"Well I'm going to beat you, that's what I'm going to do. Prepare to feel defeat!" Said Yoosung with a barely contained laugh. He kicked off the ground hard as she laughed to herself, swinging as best as she could.

Soon they were both neck and neck, reaching almost up to the bar. The swing set creaked and groaned with their combined weight as they laughed together. Each was determined to outdo the other.

"Mine's totally higher!" Yelled MC as she rushed by him on her way down.

"No way, you're at least a foot lower than me!" Yoosung called as he reached the peak of his swing. He hadn't had this much carefree fun in such a long time. It was exhilarating to be so childish and not care about anything for a little while. He had forgotten how much he used to love to swing.

"Alright, well let's see you beat this then!" MC shouted again as she swung back once more, her legs kicking more forcefully than before.

"Just give up, MC! There's no way you're going to- MC!" He yelled in surprise as he saw her fly through the air. She wasn't holding onto the seat anymore.

MC landed on the grass with a roll, sliding a few feet onto her back. Yoosung couldn't stop his swing fast enough as his sneakers dug into the dirt below him. Fear shot through him as he bolted over to her, an easy fifteen to twenty feet away from the swings. What had she been thinking?

"MC! Are you okay? MC!" He called as he rushed over to her. He fell onto his knees next to her and was relieved to see her lying on the grass with a smile on her face. She panted heavily, looking up into his eyes.

"Told you... I'd go higher." She said, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. Yoosung frowned down at her. He wasn't at all amused by her joke.

"MC what were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself!" He said with worry in his eyes. "I thought you had broken something! Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm fine." She insisted. When had it gotten so dark out? She hadn't realized it a moment ago but stars were already visible up in the sky. It must have gotten pretty late.

"Hey, lie down with me for a minute. The grounds nice and cold." Said MC, patting the grass next to her. Yoosung looked concerned for a moment before complying. The ground really was cold, almost wet feeling against the back of his shirt. They stayed in silence for quite some time. He could hear the crickets start to chip around them as they lay quietly together. His eyes shifted from the girl lying beside him up to the sky. The stars were out tonight. He hadn't been able to see them back at the apartment from the window. There must be fewer lights in this part of the city.

"Yoosung..." said MC softly, barely above a whisper. Yoosung turned his head to look at her. He couldn't help but notice that the light from the stars lit up her face even in the dark of night. Had her skin always looked that soft?

"I wanted to thank you," she continued, oblivious to his eyes as she stared up into the sky. "For everything."

He felt confused for a moment. He hadn't really done anything substantial for her at all. All he had done was take up space in her home after suddenly appearing there a few days ago. He had used up most of her medicine and helped eat most of her food. He'd used her robe, played on her computer, watched her T.V. Other than helping her cook dinner he couldn't think of a single productive thing he'd done that she could possibly thank him for.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "I haven't done anything."

"Yes you have." She insisted quietly. A warm sensation wrapped around his hand and he looked down to see her hand had reached for his. A blush rose to his cheeks as he looked back up at her nervously. Her face stayed trained towards the sky.

"You've done a lot more than you think. I've... I've been sad for a very long time now." She admitted. "I knew I had people I could talk to but... I never really felt like I could talk to any of them. Not like the way I feel I can talk with you.

"I haven't... I haven't had a lot of friends through my life. People thought I was too weird, or too sensitive. So no one really wanted to be near me very much. I still have a lot of problems with anxiety to this day. I haven't had anyone to help me through any of it. I've felt so... stuck, for so long." She said, her voice going quiet.

"What about your friend Rachael?" He asked softly. The warmth on his hand was still very much on his mind. It made him feel strange inside. However, he didn't want to pull away.

"She wouldn't understand." She replied. "She hasn't had anything bad happen to her in her life. Her parents pay for her schooling, though she barely ever goes. She mostly just goes to work to get money for going out. I don't like that she drinks so much..." She sighed and paused for a moment.

"Yoosung, I know you could probably understand what I'm going through better than anyone else I know." Said MC, closing her eyes for a moment before turning to look at him.

"What's wrong, MC?" He asked, his eyes searching hers. She stayed silent for quite some time before she could answer him.

"Remember earlier when you asked why I didn't ask my parents for help with all that's happened? And how you wanted to meet them?" She said slowly, looking down at their hands for a moment before her eyes flickered back up to his. "I don't think that will ever be able to happen." Yoosung looked confused at her sudden statement.

"What? Why not?" He asked. A thought struck him and his eyes widened slightly. "No..."

"Yeah..." She said, turning her head to look back up at the sky. "My parents are dead."

His heart ached to hear her say something so devastating. As much as he hated to think about it, it explained so much. He had wondered why he hadn't heard anything about her family while he was staying with her. It was just assumed that perhaps she was like him and just didn't talk to them very often. He felt so horrible to have assumed something like that about her.

"They died four years ago... There had been a car accident on their way back from work... I was only seventeen at the time." She said, tears starting to pool in her eyes. "I miss them so much every day. I always felt so alone after that... but, you've made me feel better the past few days. I don't feel so alone anymore. I hope I didn't say anything weird. Sometimes I talk too much."

He felt her hand start to slip away and his grip tightened, holding it in place. She looked at him with surprise. A sad smile had made its way onto his face.

"You didn't say anything weird." He assured her. "I understand. I've felt like that ever since Rika, my cousin, left this world. She was so important to me and the day I found out I... I couldn't take it. I felt so sad for so long. Even now I'm still sad about it. But, I'm sure she's looking down from heaven and watching over me. Just like I bet your parents are doing for you right now."

MC blinked a few times, tears sliding down her cheeks as she looked up at Yoosung. His smile wavered and he took a deep shaky breath. She watched as he lifted his free hand towards her, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"It'll be okay. We can work together to make each other's lives not so filled with sadness. I feel... really happy when we're together. I don't know what it is but when I'm around you lately I can't seem to feel sad for very long. So, I want to make you feel the same. I don't like seeing you cry." He said, pulling her closer to him. Her face rested against his chest as they lay together on the grass. A pair of arms wrapped around her and held her close to him. She felt warm and safe pressed against him. An erratic heartbeat pulsed in her ear that she realized wasn't her own.

"I'll make sure you never have anything bad happen to you ever again."


	7. Chapter 7 Deceit

Chapter 7  
Deceit

MC awoke with a groan, her arms and legs splayed across her bed. With a long stretch she sat up and let out a yawn. Her clock on the nightstand read 7:13am. She felt strange. It wasn't very often that she woke up before her alarm had a chance to go off. picking up her clock she clicked it onto its second setting before setting it back down. She always needed another alarm just to make sure she wasn't late for work.

A tantalizing smell teased at her nose as she sniffed the air. So that must be why she was up so much earlier than normal. But where on earth was it coming from? A second sniff revealed another smell underlying the first. Was something... burning?

After quickly throwing on a pair of clothes MC ventured out into the living room. The smell from before was much stronger here than back in her bedroom. It smelled like eggs and chicken, along with something she couldn't quite place. The sound of a cupboard slamming shut rang through the room causing her to stare worriedly towards her kitchen. A thought suddenly struck her that Yoosung wasn't lying on the couch.

"Awwwww, no, darn it. Maybe if I..." she heard Yoosung's voice say as she walked through the kitchen doorway. He had his hair pulled back with a cloth and one of her aprons tied around himself. Two plates sat on the counter top in front of him with something yellow resting inside them. A bottle of ketchup stood beside them. Seeming to notice her presence, Yoosung turned his head to see her watching him. He smiled.

"MC! Good morning, I was about to come wake you up." He laughed, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I made you breakfast! I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Oh, Yoosung you didn't need to do that." Said MC, feeling rather flattered. As she got a better look at the plates she couldn't help but let out a small giggle. An omurice sat on each plate respectively with a crudely drawn on smiley face made of ketchup. The memory of a past chat room flashed through her mind making her smile wider. It seemed he still had trouble making this particular dish.

"Ah. Yeah they didn't come out as well as I wanted them to." He admitted.

"Nonsense, I think they look delicious." Said MC with a smile. Yoosung looked absolutely delighted.

"How long have you been up to make all this?" She asked as they sat down to eat. The omurice may have looked pitiful on the outside but the inside was better than MC had imagined. His cooking really was good, even if his presentation wasn't. However, she couldn't help but find the smile staring up at her from her plate adorable. No one had cooked her a meal like this since before her parents had passed.

"Actually, I couldn't really sleep." He said nervously as he took a bite, his eyes avoiding her curious stare. A soft shade of pink rose to his cheeks. "I was up all night thinking." MC raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What were you thinking about?" Inquired MC. She hoped nothing was wrong.

"Um, nothing really." He said dismissively. She couldn't help but find that suspicious.

"Are you sure? If something's bothering you you can talk to me about it." She insisted.

"Well... I was just thinking about how nice you've been to me." Said Yoosung. He smiled softly and looked down at his plate. "Ever since I came here you've done nothing but make sure I was okay. You took care of me when I was sick, helped me get a job, made food for me. You're so kind." MC flushed at the compliment. "You remind me a lot of my cousin Rika, actually."

Now that was something she hadn't wanted to hear. She had hoped he wouldn't do what she knew was happening inside his mind all over again. It seemed some things just never changed. Of course, she couldn't fault him entirely. She could partially understand where he was coming from. He hadn't had as much time to heal as she had. Even she sometimes had days where her past felt like it was going to consume her and drag her under never to resurface. But she fought through it. She only hoped she could help him do the same. She didn't want to be someone's replacement.

"Yoosung..." she started. He must have taken her word as one of endearment because he started smiling again.

"I feel so happy when I'm with you, just like back when she was around. I feel like, maybe I was sent here on purpose. Maybe this is where I was supposed to be. I find myself thinking sometimes that Rika must have meant for me to find you. I want to believe that." He said again, looking around at his food with a smile on his face.

"Yoosung... you're not trying to compare me to her are you...?" MC asked sadly. Yoosung looked alarmed at her question.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Rika was the best person I ever met. It's a compliment that you're similar to her. She did a lot of great things back when she was alive. I looked up to her a lot, she was my role model." He said defensively. MC could do nothing but sigh. There was no talking any sense into this boy.

"That's not what I mean... Never mind." She said in defeat. There would have to be more talk about this later. This definitely wasn't something she could just sweep under the rug. If he was going to like her, and oh god did she want him to like her, she didn't want it if she was just a fill in or a shadow of someone else. She wanted something more genuine.

Yoosung looked almost hurt but dropped the subject. He couldn't figure out what he did wrong. Was it something he said? Why did she seem so upset? Rika was an amazing person, surely she would understand why he saw so much of her inside her. It was a good thing.

The rest of the morning was spent tidying up the apartment. With another person living with her MC noticed things tended to get messy twice as fast. There had been so many things on her mind that she hadn't given a second thought to cleaning. Yoosung, of course, had offered to help her. He seemed awfully happy about something as boring as cleaning. She really didn't have any reason to reject him so before she knew it he was following her around, helping clean whatever she set her sights on. He really did remind her of a puppy more times than she'd like to admit.

Once the place was thoroughly clean of mess MC checked the clock on the wall. It was already almost 8:30. They'd have to leave for work soon if they were going to get there on time. She sighed as she thought of the money it was going to cost her for a taxi. Perhaps she should invest in getting a couple bikes when her wallet could allow it. Living with barely pennies to her name was getting to be a real pain.

The taxi ride hadn't been that bad, other than the constant worry of how much exactly it was going to cost her. Of course it's not like she really had a choice. Her job was much too far for her to even think of walking. They had even had to get a ride back from the park the previous night. Even if she had wanted to walk last night things weren't safe at night to walk such a long distance. Sure she had Yoosung with her, but that didn't mean she wanted him to be put in possible danger either.

After handing her card to the driver she felt a pang in her chest. There went another twenty bucks down the drain. She had never felt more relived that pay day was only a day away. At least she could get the battery in her car replaced. It was a shame Yoosung wouldn't get paid until the following week.

As she got out of the car a strange feeling overtook her. A prickling sensation ran up the back of her neck and she turned to look behind her. The only thing she could see was the entrance to the restaurant. Why had she felt as if someone had been watching her? Shaking off the feeling she walked over to Yoosung who was exiting the opposite side.

"Ready for another day at work?" She asked with a false sense of cheer, swinging her arm with a thumbs up. Yoosung gave a small laugh as he mimicked her gesture.

"Of course." He smiled.

After they both clocked in at the back computer they headed towards the kitchen to check the spreadsheet for the day, laughing all the way. Being at work didn't seem so bad when you had a friend to go through it with you. Especially if you happened to like that certain friend. A lot. It had definitely been a good move to get him hired in here with her.

"MC! Hey, how's it going? Who's your friend?" Came a voice from behind her. The face she had dreaded seeing the most popped up between her and Yoosung. She shivered involuntarily when she felt one of his arms wrap around her shoulder. It seemed Kyle had pulled both her and Yoosung into some weird group hug as they walked.

Yoosung seemed confused only for a moment before he accepted what was happening. He only figured it must be a friend of MC's. Though that didn't stop the knot in his stomach from tightening painfully. He didn't know where this sudden emotion had come from but he didn't like it. Not at all.

"O-oh, hi Kyle." Faltered MC. "This is Yoosung, he's new here." Something inside her had stopped her from mentioning he was her friend. Was she really that afraid of how he'd react? The gesture wasn't lost on Yoosung, however.

"Yeah I just started yesterday. I'm MC's friend." Said Yoosung. The way he stressed that sentence made it sound as if he was trying to hint at something more but Kyle didn't seem to bite. A cold sweat broke out over MC's brow. It was out in the open now.

"So that's why I didn't recognize you! I had the day off yesterday." Said Kyle, stepping in between them to stop in front of Yoosung. "And that's funny, I haven't heard about you before. Anyway, the name's Kyle. Nice to meet you. Thanks for taking over as the new guy, man, it was getting exhausting." He finished, sticking out his hand for Yoosung to shake. Yoosung looked a little insulted at first but composed himself, gripping Kyle's hand tightly. MC swore it looked like both of their knuckles had turned white.

"Well hey, I'll see you around the place then! I gotta get back to cleaning up the backroom. Duty calls and all that." He laughed. MC couldn't be more relieved by the time he was out of sight.

"Who was that exactly?" Asked Yoosung once the other man was out of earshot.

"Oh, him? Uh, he's no one. No one really. A friend of Rachael's." She lied. Yoosung watched her eyes shift and frowned slightly. He felt as if something was off about her but didn't press it. She had been acting strange earlier as well. Maybe she was just having a bad day.

The restaurant seemed much busier than usual that day. Yoosung found himself practically having to dash between tables to ready them for the next set of customers. This was turning out to be a little harder than he thought. On the bright side, at least, he got to see MC a lot more throughout the day. He couldn't help but steal glances at her every so often.

As he watched her he could've sworn he heard a faint pair of giggles somewhere behind him. When he had turned around there was no one looking at him. Waitresses were busy taking care of their customers while the customers ate and chit-chatted at their tables. He hoped all of his last few years of gaming hadn't somehow damaged his hearing at all.

A tightness suddenly pulled at his stomach which had nothing to do with the butterflies currently fluttering about. He needed to go to the bathroom. Like right now. Heading to the back he dropped off his tray of dishes and rag by the sink before making his way to the bathroom. Hopefully it wouldn't get too bad while he was gone.

MC sighed as she walked back to the kitchen with one of her orders. She felt more tired today than usual. Waking up early all on her own had been a pleasant treat but the it seemed the extra 20 minutes was taking a bit of a toll on her. Or maybe it was just the stress from everything falling apart in her life. She reasoned it as probably the latter, unfortunately.

"Hey, MC. Come here." Whispered a feminine voice a little ways from where she stood. She turned to see a few of the waitresses standing in the corner of the kitchen.

"What is it?" She asked but was subsequently shushed. They urged her to come over closer to them.

"What?" MC asked again now that she was close enough to them. She didn't understand what they were trying to be so quiet for. Their giggling certainly didn't help her either.

"Hey, we like noticed something earlier and thought you should know." Said the girl she knew as Ashley. Her friend and coworker Carey snickered beside her.

"Yeah." Agreed Carey, covering her mouth as she laughed to herself. "That new guy has totally been staring at you like all day. He was doing it yesterday too."

"What?" Asked MC, her mind flashing to Kyle for a moment. He had been the new guy for so long she didn't even register anyone else under that title yet.

"Yeah, the cute blonde guy." Said Ashley. "I think he likes you."

"Or at least thinks you're hot." Said Carey tactlessly, earning a painful nudge from her friend. MC's face darkened. Why on earth were they talking to her about this?

"So like, we were wondering if you two were a thing or something. 'Cuz if not, Ashley totally was gonna try to steal him." Said Carey. MC's cheeks reddened considerably more.

"We-we're not a couple. But, I don't think you should really-" She started, trying to defend herself.

"Aw man, Ashley bad luck she totally does like him." Laughed Carey as MC's blush all but consumed her face.

"Eh, it's whatevs. There's plenty of other guys here." Said Ashley, her eyes suddenly locking on something somewhere behind MC. "Like him. Hiii Kyle~."

"Oh look what you did, you scared him away Ash'." Remarked Carey. "Hey, MC? You okay?"

MC felt mortified. Had he heard what they were just talking about? That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. She turned to see where he had gone off to but he was gone. The only sign of movement was the men's bathroom door swinging closed over by the corner.

Yoosung gave a contented sigh as he zipped up his pants. That had been a close call. Who knew running around so much would make you have to go to the bathroom so badly.

A sudden slam of the door caught his attention and he turned from the sink to see Kyle had barged into the bathroom. He felt the knot in his stomach tighten again. Even if he didn't want to, this was his new coworker and he should at least say hello to him.

"Oh, hey." Said Yoosung. It came out a bit colder than he intended. Part of him hoped he hadn't come across as rude, though he found another part of him didn't care nearly as much as he thought it should.

"Hey. I got some words to say to you." Said Kyle suddenly very seriously. Yoosung took a step backwards as Kyle walked up on him. He hadn't expected him to get quite so close. They were in a bathroom after all, this was a bit uncomfortable.

"What's this I hear about you staring at my girl?" He said angrily. Yoosung's face scrunched in confusion. He hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" Said Yoosung, voicing his thoughts. The anger seemed to intensify in Kyle's eyes at his statement.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you've been checking out MC behind my back. I don't know what you're trying to pull but you better cut the shit." He warned. "Stay away from what's mine."

Yoosung's eyes widened in surprise. Where was this coming from? And why was he acting as if MC was his property?

"What? You can't just claim someone like that. You sound like she's some object you own. What, is she your girlfriend or something?" Said Yoosung with a bit of venom.

"Yes, actually, she is." Said Kyle matter of factly. Yoosung's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. "So stop looking, she wouldn't want someone like you anyway. I don't care who she's friends with but don't go trying to sweep her off her feet or nothing or you'll have to deal with me." He threatened.

"Don't make me tell you again." He said as he walked back out of the door, leaving Yoosung behind.

Yoosung stood in shock. Had he heard that correctly? MC... was his girlfriend? Then... what was he to her? His heart shattered. A sense of betrayal hit him as he clutched at the sink. This couldn't be happening.

The later half of the day seemed to slow down as fewer and fewer customers showed up to the restaurant. With less people to clean up after Yoosung unfortunately had even more time to think. Those words kept echoing in his head over and over. Girlfriend. He felt so used. They may not be together in any sense but it was the principal of the thing. What was he going to do? He was even staying at her house! What would Kyle think if he found out about that?

Yoosung's heart ached as he mindlessly scrubbed at one of the tables. He'd have to bring it up to her. But how was he supposed to go about talking about something like that? Regardless, it looked like tomorrow he'd have to start looking for another place to live. He didn't even know if he could stay at this job. Not with her here. It would hurt so much. Going home with her again was going to be painful enough. How could she have done this to him?

"Hey, Yoosung, you doing alright? You've been wiping that same spot for about five minutes now." Came her voice. He looked up to see MC with concern on her face. His attention turned back to the table. He couldn't bear to look at her right now.

"I'm fine." He answered simply.

"Are you sure?" She inquired again.

"I said I'm fine." He repeated. She felt a bit taken aback at his sudden coldness. Had she done something to upset him? Maybe she'd ask him about it once they got home. Something was obviously bothering him.

"Alright... well, it's about time to clock out. I was just letting you know before I go get our stuff. Do you think you could call a taxi for us again?" Asked MC.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Yoosung answered in an uninterested voice. MC stared at him for a moment before deciding it was best to leave him alone for the moment. Whatever was bothering him must be really big.

"Hey, what's eating at you?" Asked MC as soon as they made it through the front door, more seriously this time. The ride home had been nothing short of unbearable. No matter what she tried he didn't want anything to do with her. Lately he had been so sweet and helpful. Where did that Yoosung go and where did this crab come from?

"What's eating at me?" He said, repeating her question. "You should know. I can't believe you didn't tell me."

MC was severely lost. She had been nothing but honest with him the entire time he'd been staying at her house. What had gotten into him?

"Yoosung I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't been hiding anything from you." She insisted.

"Don't lie to me... that just hurts even worse." He said, a pained expression clear on his face.

"I'm not lying, I really don't know what you're talking about. Please tell me so I can clear up whatever's going on with you." She said at a loss.

"You know what. Why else would I be upset? I really liked you... like a lot. I thought maybe you felt the same... I thought maybe we could... Whatever it doesn't matter." He said, brushing it off. MC's insides twisted. Had he just said what she thought he did. He liked her? Wait, why did he say that like he didn't anymore? What was happening?

"Yoosung, please! I really don't know what's happening here! I-I do like you!" She blurted, her face going hot. This wasn't the type of confession she had pictured happening but she didn't have a choice. "I like you a lot, why would I ever do something bad to you? Please, just tell me what's wrong!"

"KYLE." He said angrily. The heat from him words quickly died down being replaced by a look of anguish. "He told me everything."

MC was even more confused than she had ever been in her life. What, did he find out that he had been her friend for a short period of time or something? She really didn't understand what he was going on about.

"I don't understand, what did he say? What does he have to do with anything?" She asked desperately. There was only so much of this she could take before she lost it. She needed to know what was happening.

"Of course he has to do with everything! You let me... you let me live in your house when you have a boyfriend! That's right, he told me all about it. Do you have any idea how I felt when he told me? I feel so hurt, MC... how could you..." he said. "After all you said..."

"WHAT?!" MC shouted angrily, catching Yoosung off guard. "He is NOT my boyfriend!" She was absolutely seething. What was wrong with that guy, spreading rumors about her?

"What? But he told me-"

"No! Whatever he told you, no, it's not true! I don't like him at all! He tried asking me out on ONE date and I rejected him! Who does he think he is?" She yelled in frustration. She couldn't remember the last time she was this angry. Every ounce of fear she felt for that man completely escaped her as rage consumed her very core.

"So he's not your boyfriend?" Asked Yoosung, trying to collect what was happening.

"HELL NO." said MC forcefully. "He's just some creep who won't leave me alone!" Her teeth were bared as her hands curled into fists. Every part of her was burning.

"Oh thank goodness." Sighed Yoosung gratefully. He seemed to practically melt into the couch out of relief. MC plopped next to him, her nose scrunched in anger. They sat there in silence as she attempted to cool down. She didn't care what happened, she was going to let him have it. Intimidating her was one thing but the fact that he had gone after Yoosung made her blood boil. How dare he!

"Hey MC?" Asked Yoosung softly.

"What?" She snapped before shaking her head. "I- I sorry I didn't mean to... yes, what is it?"

"I just thought of something, and I wanted to ask you a question. But you have to answer me this time okay?" He insisted, sitting up and staring at her in the face. MC felt the anger subside and she took a deep breath, trying to let go of what happened only a moment ago.

"Okay, sure, shoot." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You have to promise you'll answer me. You can't take it back. Okay?" He said, sticking up his pinky. A smile pulled at MC's lips at the sudden gesture. She really couldn't resist this man. Lifting her pinky, she curled it with his.

"I promise." She said sincerely.

"When you played that game on your phone... you picked me, didn't you?" He asked seriously, his eyes looking deeply into hers. His question caught her off guard and a strange noise erupted from her throat. It felt like all of the blood in her body had rushed up into her face all at once and she turned away from him.

She heard him laugh to himself and her face grew darker. Even though she promised she couldn't force herself to turn around. It was probably obvious by her reaction but she knew he wouldn't let her off the hook that easily. After a moment of struggling she managed an answer. If even a pin had dropped at that moment it would have been enough to drown out her response.

"...yes..." She admitted weakly. She heard him laugh again, this time sounding much softer than before.

"I knew it."


	8. Chapter 8 Incursion

Chapter 8  
Incursion

The next morning had been spent sharing nervous glances and awkward giggles. Ever since the confessions during that heated moment the previous night the air seemed to spark around them. The atmosphere had completely changed. Yoosung insisted on making breakfast for her again, going for the traditional bacon and eggs this time around. It was absolutely delicious.

MC was surprised at exactly how helpful Yoosung had become as well. She wasn't used to being asked if she needed help with things so much. He insisted on helping her wash the dishes, fold laundry, just the shirts and pants of course, and even wiping down the kitchen. Everything she did he wanted to be right there along side her. She couldn't help but find it unbearably sweet.

Just as they were finishing the rest of the chores a knock sounded at MC's apartment door, freezing both of its inhabitants. MC rushed Yoosung to the back of the apartment to hide him in her bedroom. She desperately hoped her landlord hadn't somehow caught wind that she was breaking her contract agreement. Instead, a much friendlier face greeted her as she opened the door.

"Hey, MC!" Said Rachael happily, letting herself inside. MC started to protest but it was no use. This girl just seemed to do whatever she pleased.

"Rachael, what are you doing?" She hissed, shutting the front door. Her mind immediately flashed back to Yoosung currently locked inside her bedroom. She desperately hoped Rachael wasn't going to try to make her way back there at all.

"I was just stopping by to see if you wanted to come with me to lunch today. You could bring that cute little boytoy of yours if you want, too." She laughed, helping herself to some water. On second glance it looked like she was covered in sweat. Had she run here or something? And what did she mean boytoy?

"He is NOT my- why would you even- aren't you supposed to be working today?" Asked MC in exasperation. She needed to change the subject. This wasn't something she wanted to talk about right now.

"Nah I asked for the day off. Felt like going for a run instead." Rachael laughed. It would forever amaze MC how her friend still had a job with all of the days she missed. Was this even legal?

"What time exactly are we going?" MC asked, looking over at her clock. It was almost 1:30pm. "And where exactly, I'm starting to run low on cash... I don't even know if I could afford to-"

"Nonsense! I want to spend time with my friends! I'll pay for you, and your 'friend' too if you bring him. Here," said Rachael, fishing something out of her fanny pack. She walked over towards MC with her hand outstretched. Forty bucks rested in her palm. "Take this, I gotta run to pick someone up so I can't drive you. This should cover both of your guys' taxi fare."

"Oh, Rachael, I couldn't possibly-" MC started but her friend cut her off, grabbing onto her hand as she forced the money into her palm.

"Really. I insist. You know I have enough as it is, don't worry so much." Her friend insisted. "Now, I'm gonna head back out. I have to make it back to my house in time to grab my car. I'll see you at 3 then alright? Same place as usual?"

"Uh, yeah I, I guess. Sure. See you there." Replied MC as she gripped the money in her hand. She always felt guilty when Rachael gave her cash like this but she knew sometimes no just wasn't an answer her friend was willing to accept. Hopefully one day she could pay her back for all of the money she'd spent on her.

"Oh, by the way," called Rachael as she stepped out of the door, her head hanging back for just a moment. "Tell your boyfriend back there I said 'hey'." And with that she shut the door and was off.

MC's face flushed as she processed her words. Had it really been that obvious? Did she hear them talking before she came in? She made a mental note to try to be more quiet as she made her way to the back bedroom. As she unlocked and opened the door she found Yoosung lying on his back on her bed, one of her stuffed animals raised above his head.

"Yoosung, what are you doing?" MC laughed. Yoosung let go of the stuffed animal in surprise, dropping it onto his face.

"Ack! Nothing! I was just... looking at it while I waited for you to come back for me." He said, his voice sounding light and carefree. MC blushed at his seemingly innocent comment and scoffed playfully.

"Just get out here, you goofball. We gotta get ready to go out. Rachael invited us to go out to lunch together." She said with a smile, gesturing for him to follow her out of her room. He happily complied.

"Oh? I thought we were trying to save money today since your pay comes in tonight?" He asked curiously, his head tilting as he walked beside her. MC felt his fingers brush nonchalantly against hers causing her stomach to do a somersault. With burning cheeks she grasped at his fingers gently, turning her head away. It was always so hard to look at him when he was being like this. Her heart couldn't take it.

"Y-yeah, about that. I tried to say something but she was very... persuasive." MC answered as she pulled out the pair of twenties in her pocket. "She's always trying to give me money for things but I always feel so bad. Sometimes she won't let you say no, though." She felt Yoosung's grip tighten comfortingly. "It always makes me feel so guilty."

"She sounds like a really nice friend. You don't have to feel guilty, you're too kind." He said, rubbing his thumb along hers softly. "It's okay to let people help you sometimes." He smiled.

"Yeah... you're right." She admitted. Her eyes flickered down to their intertwined fingers before looking up to see his cheeks were as equally pink as her own. "Yoosung...?"

"Yes, what is it MC?" He asked, completely focused on her every word.

"What are we?" She asked simply. " I just... I've been thinking about it all morning." He looked surprised for a moment, not quite knowing himself what their situation was.

"I'm not sure, but, I do know that I really like you. I also really like holding your hand. It makes me feel... safe inside. " He said bashfully, a finger scratching at his cheek. "You're very important to me. Just like Rika used to be. I just love being around you." MC felt her heart sink a little, her hand slipping away from his. Yoosung frowned.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. Had he upset her somehow?

"Yoosung... when you look at me, do you see me or do you see your cousin...?" She asked with sadness in her eyes. She knew when he had said these things in the game they hadn't seemed quite so heartbreaking. More just annoying if anything. She could forgive him then. She understood what he was going through. But now, to have him in the flesh and blood standing here and holding her hand while he thinks possibly thinks of his cousin, it made her hurt inside.

"What? Of course I see you. You just remind me of her is all. I told you, it's a good thing. I don't know why you sound like you think it's a not..." he said, sounding confused and upset.

"You should try to see it more from my point of view... it hurts being compared to another person. I don't want you thinking of another woman when you look at me..." She said honestly, her eyes downcast.

"MC... It's not like that though. She was my cousin, it's different." He insisted. She sighed, he just wasn't getting it.

"Would you want me to say you remind me of my father? Or say you're just like my father? What if I were to compliment everything about you just to tell you that it only reminded me of my dad... I wouldn't be seeing you for you... I'd just be seeing my dad in your place. I don't want to be in someone else's shadow. I want you to look at me for me... I don't want to be a replacement in your heart for someone else..." She said softly, slumping down onto the couch. Yoosung frowned as he thought about what she said. He sat down next to her gently, mulling over her words.

"I would feel... weird." He said quietly. MC looked over to him, confused at first by his statement. "If you saw me as your dad, I mean. I... I don't know really how to fix this but if it's bothering you I'll try to consider your feelings more. I don't ever want to hurt you..."

"I know you're still going through a lot, Yoosung... so I know it can be hard not to project onto other people sometimes." She said, a small laugh coming up from her throat. "I actually used to do the same to Rachael." She admitted. Yoosung looked at her in bewilderment.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"When I lost my parents I didn't really have anyone. I felt lost, I felt like if I found someone like them then it would fill the hole in my heart." She explained, setting a hand on the top of his thigh comfortingly. "So when I became friends with Rachael I started comparing her to my mother. But, it wasn't healthy. I wasn't dealing with my parents' death at all... I was trying to cover up my feelings by having someone take their place. It wasn't fair to either of them... my mom's gone. And so is my dad. There's nothing I can do about that. But that doesn't mean I should use other people as replacements to fill that void."

Yoosung looked down at her hand, thinking hard before a shaky whisper escaped him.

"I just miss her so much." He choked out. A single tear escaped the corner of his eye as he let out a gasp. "I... I just..."

MC's heart ached seeing him like this and she found she couldn't hold herself back. Her hands found themselves on either side of his face, cupping his cheeks. Wiping his tears away with her thumbs softly, she looked into his eyes and spoke again.

"It's okay to be sad... you may not be able to replace the people most precious to you, but I bet she's watching you right now wishing for nothing more than your happiness. You don't need to forget her. You don't need to swallow your emotions for anyone. But you can't let this eat away at you... You have people who can help you. People who care and want to help you get through this. All you have to do is ask. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." She said softly, stroking his cheek with care. He looked as if he was going to break down at any moment and before she could stop herself she pulled him close, burying his face into her and holding him tightly against herself. The sobs started almost instantaneously as he clutched onto her for support. She held him close, a hand rubbing his back softly as she embraced him. He needed this, and she knew that, even though the tears on her face seemed to disagree. Why did the good people always hurt the most?

The ride to the restaurant was peaceful as Yoosung and MC sat pressed together in the backseat of the taxi. Their hands lay intertwined between their legs atop the seat. Yoosung's breakthrough seemed to be quite a bit of an eye opener for him. He had apologized for making her feel the way he did and promised to never hurt her again. He promised to always take her emotions into account before doing anything to or with her from now on. She had smiled, saying he didn't need to apologize and that his actions alone would suffice. All she wanted was for them to be happy. He had agreed to this sentiment as well.

MC laid her head on his shoulder gently as the taxi rolled along. She felt more content than she had in a long time. Things seemed to finally be going her way for once. And tonight, when her check took effect she could finally get started on fixing up the rest of her problems. Everything would be okay soon enough.

As they arrived at their destination, and after paying the driver, Yoosung and MC headed into the restaurant to find their friend. As MC spotted Rachael she grabbed Yoosung's hand and rushed over to her. She was in a rather good mood and felt like she could tolerate her friends teasing sense of humor for once. What she didn't think she could tolerate, however, was who she saw sitting next to Rachael at the booth. Both her and Yoosung stopped dead in their tracks.

"MC! Yoosung! Hey, glad to see you made it!" Rachael called happily. Her eyes drifted to their clasped hands and a smirk rose on her face. "Finally committed I see?"

"What is he doing here?" Growled MC angrily, her eyes focused in on the person who made her blood run like lava through her veins. Kyle looked back at her for a second before staring down at the table, a strange look on his face. Yoosung looked absolutely furious, though he seemed to be containing himself rather well.

"Who, Kyle? I told you I had to pick up someone before I came out here didn't I? I thought it would've been obvious. Did you guys get into a fight or something?" She asked. Her expression turned to one of worry as she glanced between the two.

"No, he threatened me." Said Yoosung darkly. His usual cheerful and happy demeanor had all but disappeared. "MC, we should leave, I don't want you being near someone like-"

"Wait." Interrupted a voice. It wasn't Rachael's.

Both Yoosung and MC looked back to see Kyle staring straight up at them. MC didn't think she could look more offended than she did right now.

"No, you wait. I'm sick of this weird attitude you have going on. How could you claim to him that I was your girlfriend?" She shouted. Kyle winced, looking down at the table again.

"MC, he was the one who asked me to have you guys come to lunch." Said Rachael, unsure how to react to the scene unfolding before her. Other people were starting to watch.

"I wanted to apologize for-"

"Bullshit!" Yelled MC, anger flooding through her. She was done with his wishy washy attitude.

"MC!" Rachael gasped, her eyes flickering around the room. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks. She had just wanted a nice lunch between friends. What was going on?

"Look, I know I have problems! I just really like you and I couldn't stand him coming in between us-" Kyle started, his voice growing frantic.

"There's nothing to come between! We're not together! I told you back in that car that I wasn't interested in you like that! But you wouldn't listen! 'I can change your mind' you said, and now you threaten to assault my boyfriend?" She shouted, letting her words fly. So much emotion had been building inside of her for so long and she couldn't stop it all from coming loose. Even Yoosung stopped to look at her in shock. She had called him her boyfriend.

Kyle looked dumbstruck. Something inside his eyes snapped at her words and his expression shifted from sorrow to rage quicker than the blink of an eye.

"After all I did for you, this is the thanks I get?! Why would you have been so nice to me, let me drive you and buy you dinner if you didn't want to be with me?!" He shouted, slamming his hands on the table. Rachael let out a yelp and scooted away. It had gone so quiet in the diner.

"You're twisting everything into something it's not! What is WRONG with you?" MC yelled in retaliation. As enraged as Yoosung was he could tell they were causing a scene. He grabbed her arm gently and pulled her closer to him.

"MC, we should leave. Come on. You don't need to talk to that creep." He said, stressing his final word as he turned to glare at Kyle. Kyle glared back, his nose flared and his eyebrows scrunched tightly together.

"Oh, what, so someone like him is good enough for you but I'm not?" He spat, his voice full of disgust. "You're nothing. If you want to be with trash like him then why would I want you? Just leave!"

Yoosung had to hold himself back from punching this guy right in the face. It wouldn't do well to get MC into trouble with him. Kyle didn't deserve to have any power over him. He wouldn't let his words effect him.

Kyle sat back down roughly as Yoosung and MC exited the diner. His mind was racing. Why wasn't he good enough for her? What did that loser have that he didn't? He loved her! Why couldn't she see that?

"Kyle?" Said Rachael softly, reaching an arm out to him. Without thinking he swatted her away. He didn't care about her. Not right now. Only she inhabited his mind. MC. He would have her. Whether she liked it or not.

After a long walk home to clear their minds, MC and Yoosung finally walked into the familiar apartment. MC was still seething. Yoosung still wanted nothing more than to strangle the man that had upset his precious person so much. He had never seen her like that before.

"Augh! I can't STAND him!" MC yelled in frustration, pulling at her hair.

"Hey, now don't do that. You might pull out your beautiful hair." Said Yoosung, gently grabbing her hands to untangle them from her hair. MC looked at him, a mix of emotions running through her.

"I just, I can't understand the nerve of him. How could he possibly think anything would be okay now? Ugh, that creep!" She huffed. Yoosung rubbed her shoulder softly, doing his best to try and calm her down.

"He's not worth it." He said, mostly lying to himself. As much as he wanted to go off on the guy, maybe knock his head in among other things, he needed to stay calm for MC. If he was going to be someone he hoped for her to rely on he needed to be strong. He couldn't help a small shiver of anger from running through him at the thought of that man coming anywhere near her again however. Perhaps he could convince her to find a job somewhere else. Things definitely wouldn't be able to go back to normal for her after this.

MC sighed harshly, relaxing into his touch. She tried to even out her breathing before speaking again.

"I know I just, knowing he said those things to you just makes me so mad. Just, the audacity of that-"

"Shhhhhh... I know. But we're home now. We should do something to take our minds off of it." He suggested, slipping his hand down to rub her back. She helped him so now it was time for him to do the same. "Maybe watch something on TV for awhile?"

"Actually, that sounds fantastic." She agreed after a moment. "What do you want to watch?"

"Well," he said in mock thought. "We could watch a romance. Seeing as how, I guess I'm your boyfriend now." He chuckled. MC gasped, realizing what she had said before.

"Ah! I hadn't meant, I mean, I didn't- if you don't like feel comfortable with that yet I totally understand." She rambled, her face blushing deeply all over. Yoosung simply smiled and pulled her into a hug, her head pressed to his chest.

"I have no problems at all. I'd love for you to be my girlfriend." He said in a loving voice, holding her close. "And I want to be anything you want me to be."

Neither Yoosung nor MC were particularly looking forward to work the next day. After the mishap from the previous day the thought of having to spend an entire day near Kyle was beyond off putting at best. However, as much as they had hoped, there he was working with the dishes as usual. MC had huffed and turned up her nose, choosing to ignore him in lieu of acknowledging him and possibly starting another argument.

Yoosung, however, chose to glare at him as he walked behind her close at heel. His anger had only intensified over night as he was forced to lie awake with thoughts of what Kyle had possibly done to anger MC so. He made it his mission to keep an extra close eye on him. If he tried anything, anything at all, he was more than willing to defend the woman he loved.

Luckily, it seemed, Kyle had decided to give them a similar treatment. He didn't look nor speak a word to either of them as he worked. No usual, overly friendly, hello. No unwanted touching or chatting whatsoever. MC felt as if she'd been blessed on her way to work that morning. If things stayed the way they were, at least she wouldn't have to deal with the possibility of losing her job over something so stupid.

The day dragged on with barely any customers stopping in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No one seemed to be interested in their services. They hadn't had quite as slow of a day as this in months. MC vaguely wondered if there was an event being held somewhere in town today. As she spaced off to herself she felt a strange itching sensation on the back of her neck. She turned her head back to the kitchen behind her. No one was looking at her. The only people she could see were Ashley and Casey chatting it up as usual. Anytime a slow day rolled around those two became even more inseparable than usual.

As the day came to a close MC was glad to finally leave the wretched place she unfortunately called work. Yoosung shared her feelings as he followed her back to the lockers. As MC tried to open her locker she found that somehow, once again, her lock had gotten stuck. She jiggled it in vain and let out a disgruntled noise.

"Everything okay, MC?" Asked Yoosung as he pulled his bag from his locker.

"Yeah, my locks just stuck again. This is like the third time this month." She complained, banging on the small door a few times in frustration. "Hey, can you go ahead of me? You could call for a taxi while I get this fixed. I'll be out in like 5 minutes. 10 minutes tops."

"You sure you don't want me to stay here? I don't mind waiting for you." Said Yoosung. He had a strange feeling he couldn't seem to shake. It made him uneasy.

"No, it's fine. Besides the sooner you call them the sooner we can leave. I got this, really." She insisted, flashing him a smile. He smiled in return and nodded.

"Alright, but hurry. I'll miss you while you're gone." He said making MC snort.

"Have I told you how cheesy you are?" She laughed.

"It's not cheesy if I mean it." He said seriously, his lips puckering a bit into a pout.

"Alright, alright I'll be quick I promise." Laughed MC as she fiddled with her lock some more. Usually it just took a little bit of jiggling before it opened up. It seemed pretty stuck this time.

Once Yoosung left she started to feel anxious. Maybe she should have asked him to stay with her after all. But that was ridiculous. She was just trying to open her locker and then she could leave. It's not like he could come back in anyway. The restaurant was closed so the door would lock behind him on his way out. This thought didn't comfort her at all.

Blinding pain erupted from her forehead as she found herself smashed into the metal lock before her. She didn't even have time to react as she was pulled backwards. A harsh ringing sounded through her ears, deafening her to the world around her. She looked up to see Kyle's face menacingly above her. The realization of what was happening struck her and she opened her mouth to scream.

"Oh no you don't!" He yelled, his voice barely carrying over the constant ring inside her ears. She found her mouth covered as he pulled her backwards by her hair and jaw. Pain radiated through her neck into her skull as he tugged at her, pulling her past the kitchen doors. No matter how hard she fought his grip refused to loosen.

"Stop struggling! I said STOP!" He yelled harshly, slapping her across the face. A new sting of pain washed over her sending a cold shudder down her entire body. Her face felt hot where his hand had been. She was struck silent. Her courage failed her.

"Yeah, that's better. Now get up." He said darkly. She couldn't will herself to move. What was happening to her? Her head hurt so badly she swore she was seeing stars. "I said GET UP, BITCH!" He yelled, kicking her in the shoulder. She let out a choked sob as she rolled over, trying to get away.

Kyle wasn't having it. Grabbing her forcefully he dragged her up onto her feet as he slammed her into the walls opposite him, causing the utensils hanging on the wall to rattle. His hands found her throat and her eyes went wide. Her hands clawed at his, pulling and scratching in vain as he pinned her still.

"You made me do this. I loved you. You were supposed to love me too! And what do you do? Go behind my back for some other guy!" He yelled in her face, flecking bits of spit onto her as his grip tightened. Her lungs started to ache from the lack of oxygen as she struggled against him. "We were supposed to be together and you ruined it! Why. Did. You. Do. This. To. Me!" He cried, shaking her with every word he spoke. The back of her head bounced against the wall as he carelessly tossed her back and forth.

"Hnk!"

"What? Are you trying to apologize to me now? Well that's not gonna work." He said, releasing her from his vices. She gasped for air, choking and hacking as she clutched at her throat. A knee met her stomach and she doubled over before being slammed back against the wall. Her scalp burned as a pair of hands clawed at their way into her hair, forcing her to look their owner in the face.

"Yoo... sung." She forced out, trying to call for help through her ragged breath. Fury erupted in his eyes as she spoke.

"You're still going on about him? Why is he so great to you?! What does he have that I don't, huh?!" His voice cracked as he slammed her head against the wall again. "Look at me!"

MC groaned as she struggled to stay conscious. She needed to call for help. Yoosung was outside. She needed him.

"YOOSU- AKG." She tried to scream before his hands were at her throat again.

"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" He cried, desperate for her to stop. He didn't want to hear that name on her lips. It should be his she was speaking. He should be the one she loved. If she couldn't see that then he'd have to make her see.

A cold pair of lips slammed themselves against hers. Disgust erupted inside of her as she struggled against him. His lips were rough and cold, making her feel sick down to her stomach. She grabbed at every part of him she could to make him stop. Trying with all her might to try to pry him away from her. Anything to make him stop.

Finally her foot managed to make contact with his shin. He pulled away from her, cursing loudly. With her mouth free she took the biggest breath she possibly could and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"YOOSUNG! HELP ME!"

Yoosung stood outside, leaning against the bricks as he waited for MC to return. She'd been taking an awfully long time. Perhaps he should go back and check on her. He hoped she'd be able to get her things out by the time the cab arrived.

Without warning a blood curdling scream met his ears. She was screaming his name from inside the building. His heart jumped up into his throat as adrenaline pumped through him.

"MC?!" He yelled back. There was no answer.

His hand grabbed for the door handle and pulled only for the door to rattle in place. It was locked.

"Fuck!" He panicked, banging on the door and pulling at it desperately. The door refused to budge. In an act of desperation he clutched one of the decorative bricks from the small garden next to the building and swung it as hard as he could into the door. The glass shattered on impact and an alarm began to sound. He quickly jumped through the hole in the door into the dark diner. The sound of a scuffle reached his ears and he bolted towards the kitchen.

Kyle sat atop MC, his hands wrapped tightly around her throat. Blood was flowing steadily from a wound above her face. Her cheeks were red and stained with tears. Something inside him snapped and he lunged towards the other man.

MC gasped as her throat was freed from its confinement. Sweet, sweet air filled her lungs as she finally caught her breath. She turned to see Yoosung pinning Kyle down to the floor besides her. A loud bone crunching sound echoed throughout the kitchen as his fist made contact with Kyle's face. Both men struggled against each other as Yoosung tried to keep him pinned to the ground. All of the rage that had been bubbling up inside of him spewed forth like a volcanic eruption as he took another swing at Kyle's face.

Plates, pots and pans fell to floor as they rolled and fought each other, slamming into the counter tops and cupboards lining the wall. MC could do nothing but watch as the horror took place. With her vision blurred she could barely tell who's arm belonged to whom.

In a twist of fate Kyle gained the upper hand, knocking Yoosung off of him as he clambered to his feet. Kyle bolted as fast as he could while Yoosung scampered up off of the floor, making to run after him. But was too late. He had burst through the kitchen doors and was out of sight. A groan reached Yoosung's ears and he turned to see MC sitting on the ground, her hand clutched to her wound against her head.

He rushed over as fast as he could, pulling her to him as gently. No words could express the guilt he was feeling at that moment as she bled in his arms, coughing and gasping for breath. Bruises coated her neck as the blood dripped down onto her shoulder. Her body started to shake against his and he held her closer, whispering gently as he rocked her back and forth on the kitchen floor. He felt so helpless as she sobbed against him.

Sirens sounded in the distance as they sat intertwined on the tile floor. MC sobbed against his chest, staining his shirt with red as she clutched onto him. She couldn't stop crying no matter how hard she tried. He could do nothing but hold her close to him, cradling her to his chest. How could he have let this happen?


	9. Chapter 9 Intervention

Chapter 9  
Intervention

It had been a couple of days since the incident in the kitchen. MC had to have stitches in the back of her head and a bandage placed around her forehead. Her vision still hadn't come back to full focus so she was forced to stay overnight for tests the following day. It turns out she had a small linear skull fracture along with a slight concussion. The doctors were currently giving her pain medication and monitoring her in case any other symptoms may arise. If she was lucky, and her condition didn't appear to worsen, she would be able to go home that night.

Yoosung had been beside himself with worry, refusing to leave her bedside. Usually, MC would have told him not to worry about her, but now was different. She was grateful to have someone so devoted staying by her through all of his. MC was sure that she wouldn't feel nearly as mentally stable as she did now if he wasn't there to comfort her.

His hands clasped around her's as she lied there, wincing every so often. They were forced to spend most of their time in the dark. Bright lights sent her head spinning and he wanted to keep her as comfortable as possible. He was guilt-ridden. The scene wouldn't stop playing over and over again in his mind every time he looked at her bruised and battered face. He should have been there to stop him. His grip on her hands tightened for only a moment. If he ever saw that man again he didn't know what he might do.

A soft voice broke him from his concentration.

"Hey, Yoosung." Whispered Rachael so as not to wake MC as she sat down in the chair next to him. She had been coming in every so often to check on her friend. Her face was riddled with worry every time she appeared. At first Yoosung had felt angry towards her, believing she had some part in this with her association with Kyle. With Rachael's display of abhorrence towards the man however, his feeling almost instantly dissipated. It seemed she was still in shock over the whole ordeal. She even insisted she had had no idea Kyle was capable of something so monstrous.

"Oh, hey Rachael." Yoosung said softly as he stroked his thumb across MC's palm. She had been sleeping quite a lot through the day. At first he had been against it but according to the doctors it would actually be beneficial for her. The saying about sleeping after a concussion sending a person into a coma turned out to be a myth. At least, with her condition it seemed.

"Has she been up at all today? Is she doing any better?" Asked Rachael with concern in her voice.

"She was up earlier yeah, not for long though. She seems exhausted..." said Yoosung. He looked down at MC's face sadly.

"Do you know when the doctors said she could go home? She must hate it here... At least work is compensating her for her bills. I don't think she could've had the strength to bear anymore unexpected bills... I wish she'd just let me help her." Rachael frowned.

"They said if she stays stable they'll let her go home later today. She has a prescription for pain medication and anti inflammatories I'll need to get filled for her too." He replied. "You really try to do a lot for her, don't you?"

"Of course!" She assured him in a harsh whisper. "She's one of my best friends. Any time I try to offer to pay for anything for her though or offer to take her anywhere she always makes up excuses of why she can't. I know she's lying but, I'm not going to force her to do something she doesn't want to.

"She didn't used to be like that though. Back when I first met her she seemed more than happy to accept my help. We used to go out all the time and have fun. Then one day she just kind of stopped. She said she didn't want me to take care of her so much anymore." Said Rachael, sighing lightly. "I feel so awful for what happened to her. I should've never introduced her to him. I didn't know this would happen... I just thought she was lonely."

"It's not your fault. You didn't know." Insisted Yoosung. "You're not a bad friend. I'm sure she's not going to hate you or anything. She's not like that. She's much too kind..."

Rachael watched as he turned to look back at her friend. His eyes looked so full of emotion as he watched over her sleeping form. He looked so protective and caring. She couldn't help but smile softly.

"I'm glad she found someone as sweet as you to make her happy." She complimented. Yoosung blushed lightly and gave her a nervous smile in return.

"Yoo... sung?"

Both of the visitors looked down to see MC open her eyes. She blinked a few times and winced slightly, trying to sit up on the bed.

"Careful, now." Said Yoosung, getting a sense of deja-vu. It wasn't so long ago a similar situation had occurred between them. Though he hadn't been nearly as bad as she was right now.

After managing to sit up properly, a stack of pillows nestled behind her back, she rubbed her eyes and looked at her guests more properly.

"Rachael?" She asked after blinking a few more times. Her vision was mostly back to normal but every so often things seemed to go out of focus.

"Yeah, hi MC. How are you feeling?" Rachael asked hesitantly. "I tried coming down here a few times now but you were always asleep... Yoosung hasn't left your side the entire time. You picked a real winner here." She finished, trying to fit in some of her usual teasing. It came out much more light hearted this time around. MC groaned.

"My heads doing better, I still have a ringing noise once in awhile though. It's driving me crazy." Said MC, rubbing a knuckle into her ear.

"MC... I'm so sorry for what happened, I-" said Rachael, only to stop as MC's hand raised up to silence her.

"Don't be... it's not your fault." MC insisted. "What did work say about all this?"

"Oh, they're closing up shop for a few days on account of the incident. They had to get the door repaired too. Yoosung told you about the compensation, right?" Asked Rachael.

"Yeah, he told me. Thank goodness too..." MC sighed.

"You know, if you need some help with other things, MC, I wouldn't mind helping out." Rachael offered. MC shook her head.

"No, no. It's okay. I can handle it. Besides I uh, have Yoosung helping me already with things." She answered. Yoosung smiled sheepishly. "Oh, that reminds me. Actually, uh, Rachael there is one thing." MC finished begrudgingly.

"Yes?" Said Rachael.

"Do you think you and Yoosung could go to my apartment and get me an extra set of clothes? I don't have anything to wear out of this place if they actually let me out later and... Well I don't want to leave wearing this." She said, gesturing to her hospital gown. She leaned into the two of them and whispered. "My ass hangs out of this thing way too much." Rachael had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing while Yoosung flushed and chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah no problem. Yoosung, you up for a small road trip?" Asked Rachael, nudging Yoosung in the shoulder lightly. He looked at her unsurly.

"You sure you want me to go with her?" He asked MC, turning back to her. "Will you be okay by yourself?" He hadn't been too keen on leaving her alone since what happened with Kyle. The chair had become his temporary home.

"Yeah, I'm sure. This hospital air can't be good for you to sit in everyday. It's stale. You go and stretch your legs. I'm sure the doctors will take good care of me." She insisted. Yoosung took her hand in his again before taking a deep breath.

"If you're sure. I'll be back as soon as I can okay?" He assured her. MC smiled in response.

The drive had been mostly pleasant on the way back to MC's apartment. Yoosung couldn't help but notice that Rachael's driving was a little sharper than he was used to. This only made her laugh of course. She promised she'd been driving herself around for a long time and they weren't going to crash anytime soon.

As they reached the apartment they hurried carefully inside. Rachael had learned from coming here so many times that if you acted like you belonged, no one would question you. Since they didn't have MC with them they'd have to be extra careful to not seem suspicious. Yoosung had heard things about MC's landlord that led him to believe even if they were truthful about their reasons coming there, he wouldn't care in the slightest.

"Why does she have to live all the way on the top floor?" Complained Rachael as they made their way up the stairs. She would never understand how they couldn't afford to fix their elevators with how much they charged their tenants. The city was so expensive but nothing ever got fixed. It was baffling.

"I remember asking myself that same question awhile back." Agreed Yoosung, remembering back to that stormy day. As horrible as it was walking all of that way back up at least he knew which floor to stop at.

As they reached the top floor Yoosung heard Rachael let out a gasp. She bolted from the entrance down the hall to MC's door. Something tacked to it caught his eye and he followed suit. A white note with the words 'EVICTION NOTICE' had been placed on her door while they'd been gone.

"Oh, no... Oh this is bad." Said Rachael, unsticking the note from the door. She handed it to Yoosung to look over as well. The note stated they had only a few days to exit the premises. And it had been posted yesterday night. He couldn't believe this. As he read further he winced. The reasons for eviction had been checked off below the notice. Failure to pay rent on a timely basis and moving in more tenants than approved on the lease were both checked in red ink. So they had found out about him. They had been so careful though...

"She's going to be devastated... I don't know if I can tell her." Said Yoosung in a low voice. Everything was falling apart around him. He had broken his promise. He wasn't stopping bad things from happening to her at all. In fact, that's all that seemed to be happening to her since he arrived there.

"Well... looks like this is a job for me then." Sighed Rachael, fishing out a key. She saw Yoosung eyeing her with surprise and she giggled. "Relax, it's just a spare. It was for emergencies. Let's get her some clothes to change into. I'll explain my plan on the way back okay?"

"You want to what?" Asked Yoosung in shock on the way back to the hospital.

"Well, I don't really see any other options. Do you?" Asked Rachael as she stopped at an intersection. She turned to look at him seriously. "There isn't anything else we can do, Yoosung."

"But moving into your house... wouldn't it be crowded? I don't know if MC would agree to something like this so easily..." worried Yoosung. He looked out of the window as the car started moving again.

"It's fine. I want to do this for her. It's my fault she's even in this situation to begin with... We'll have to take her back to my house tonight. You're more then welcome to stay as well." Rachael insisted. Yoosung looked flustered for a moment.

"Oh, don't be like that. I saw what it said on the notice. If MC's with you then you can't be a bad guy. My home is as welcome to you as it is to her. Don't worry about it." Said Rachael. She looked immensely calm given the situation at hand. "I have a spare bedroom on the second floor. It's really no big deal."

"You must have a large house." Mused Yoosung.

"Yeah, my parents wanted me to have a nice place when I moved out. They work in a cooperation so it wasn't a big deal to them. They kind of let me do whatever I want." She said, shrugging slightly. "I just wish I knew what that was."

Yoosung couldn't help but sympathize with her last statement. Even he wasn't sure what he wanted to do anymore. His time back at college seemed to be all for nothing at this point. Originally, he had started looking into being a veterinarian because of what happened to Sally. He wanted to help sick and injured animals so there wouldn't be so much suffering in the world. He felt so bad for her, and for his cousin. Rika had been so sad when she passed... but now he didn't know. With how things were going he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to realize his dream. He didn't think he'd ever even talked to anyone about it before.

"Hey, you alright over there? You look like you're spacing out a bit." Asked Rachael, glancing at him from behind the wheel. "If you're worried about MC, it'll be okay. We'll make sure of it." She gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled back softly and sighed.

"Yeah, you're right." He agreed.

After making their way back up to MC's room they found she was talking with a doctor. They seemed to have been performing a few more tests on her while they were gone. The doctor was holding a flashlight up to her eyes, checking her dilation.

"Alright, well everything seems to be in order. Well send a wheelchair up and get you discharged in just a few minutes." He said before turning around . "Ah, good timing. We're just about to have MC discharged out of the hospital in a moment. I trust she has someone to take care of her after she leaves, correct? Ah, and I see you brought her a change of clothes. Very good."

"Yes actually, we'll both be taking responsibility for her." Said Yoosung, gesturing to both Rachael and himself. MC looked confused from over on the bed.

"What did you mean by both of you?" She asked curiously. "Rachael you're not going to like, move in with me are you?" Yoosung and Rachael sat on their usual seats as MC sat atop the bed, facing them over the side.

"Well, not exactly..." started Yoosung. MC was surprised to see him answer her. He was rubbing the back of his neck nervously. She didn't think she liked where this was going.

"Actually, you'll be moving in with me." Said Rachael confidently. MC's eyes widened.

"Whoa, no, no, no!" She said in shock before wincing and grasping at the side of her head. Her head was still a little tender where it had been smashed into the wall. Yelling didn't help it feel any better.

"Well, tough. You don't really have a choice." Said Rachael defiantly. Yoosung glanced over at her. He didn't expect her to get so adamant about it right off the bat. "MC, you've got to let people help you. I want to help you. Please."

"But you've already done enough for me. I don't want to be a burden to you. I have a place to stay for now so, it wouldn't make any sense to trouble you. Yoosung will be able to look after me." MC insisted, looking over to her boyfriend. He had a strange look on her face.

"Actually, MC... this was on your door when we went to pick up your clothes." Said Yoosung, gathering his courage. He slid the eviction notice over to her and waited for her response. She went silent for a moment, looking over the letter in shock.

"How... how did they find out you were living with me? Nobody knew..." she said in disbelief. Originally Rachael would've teased her for admitting something so openly but this was too serious a matter even to her.

"Maybe it was Kyle..." she mentioned, causing MC to give her look of fright.

"You don't think he really...?" Asked MC. "I thought they were searching for him?"

"They haven't found him yet." Mentioned Yoosung, a look of distaste on his lips. "I swear if I ever see him again..."

"Yoosung, come now, that's a job for the police. MC's safe now. She needs you and you can't exactly help her from jail now can you?" Said Rachael seriously. Yoosung sighed harshly and looked away.

A silence overtook them for a few minutes as MC looked over the notice a few more times. She still couldn't believe it. Out of all the things to happen this was the absolute worst. As much as she didn't want to, she knew she had no choice but to accept her friend's help.

"Okay." She said softly.

"What was that?" Asked Rachael, seeing the word directed at her. MC's eyebrows scrunched together as she took a deep breath.

"I'll move in with you..." she agreed begrudgingly.

"Ah, perfect! Well, you can stay the night at my house tonight then too. We'll go get your stuff tomorrow morning. I don't want you lifting anything though, you hear me? Me and your big strong man here will take care of everything for you." Rachael winked. Yoosung flushed but nodded in agreement.

"You shouldn't pick up anything too heavy with your injury. Rachael's right. We'll take care of it." Yoosung insisted. MC was about to protest but huffed in defeat.

"I'm not going to be able to win anything with both of you around am I?" She asked before letting out a laugh. Yoosung and Rachael smiled in response.

After MC has been successfully discharged and wheeled out of the hospital they set out on their way to Rachael's home. Unlike MC, Yoosung had never been there before and didn't know what to expect. The only thing he had to go off was that she had two stories to her house. Even that itself already left a feeling of impressiveness upon him.

Both MC and Yoosung had taken to the back seat on the ride home, which Rachael had no problems with. Her easygoing attitude reminded him of Seven in a way. The constant teasing and happy go lucky attitude. He bet they would've been friends.

A sudden buzz from his pocket caught him off guard. There was no way. No one could be that coincidental. It just wasn't possible. But with a look to his main screen he found that yes, yes it was. Seven's name had appeared among his notifications.

He hadn't heard from him in quite a few days and had started to get worried so seeing his name gave him a sense of relief. The other members had been convinced by him that Yoosung was indeed somewhere in America. Apparently, according to Seven, Yoosung had gone to meet a girl he had met online on impulse after getting drunk. Thanks Seven. Everyone seemed to buy his excuse however so it sort of worked in his favor. He just wish it could've been something that didn't make him seem so... dumb.

After glancing over to MC who had fallen asleep on his shoulder he looked back to his phone. He needed to see what Seven had sent him so late at night. Of course, now that he thought about it, it probably was really early in the morning for him. If time zones still applied in this weird situation that was anyway.

"Yoosung. I've looked into it and I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do to fix the chat room feature. The dimensions don't cross well enough for it to cooperate. Sorry."

"Wait what are you talking about? So you can't fix it?"

"Nope."

Yoosung sighed. This was just his luck. His phone buzzed again and he looked down to see his new message.

"However, I think I have a better solution to your problem. It's going to take a long time though. Just think of it as an extended vacation ^^"

"What exactly is your solution?"

"Ack! I'll have to talk more later, I can hear Ms. Vanderwood's heels approaching! Gotta go!"

"Wait, Seven!"

He may be talking more often than he usually did with Yoosung but he certainly couldn't keep a hold of the guy. He sighed and slipped his phone back into his pocket. MC groaned a little on his shoulder and he craned his neck to look down at her. Her expression looked pained before she gripped onto him slightly. He flushed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She seemed to relax almost immediately.

His heart thumped in his chest as he watched her sleeping soundlessly against him. Her hair looked so soft framed around her face. A strange urge over took him and he found himself pressing his face into her hair gently. The faint scent of strawberries still wafted from her. He breathed deeply as his stomach clenched pleasantly. Without even a second thought he pressed his lips against the top of her head. He didn't ever want to let go of her.

Once they made it to the house Yoosung looked in awe as he exited the vehicle, helping MC step out onto the ground. The house was much bigger than he was used to. Did only one person really live here?

"Welcome to my humble abode!" Said Rachael playfully to Yoosung. "Feel free to explore anywhere you want. Don't worry about accidentally going into my room either, it's the only room that's locked." She laughed.

"It's so... big." Said Yoosung, looking over the house as they walked to the entrance. MC laughed sleepily.

"Wait till you see the inside." She insisted.

And see the inside he did.

Out of all the things he expected this wasn't one of them. Going from a modestly furnished apartment to what appeared to be a literal mansion in sheep's clothing was quite a shock. So this is why Rachael never cared about spending her money all over the place. Perhaps her and Seven had even more in common than he thought.

"Alright you two, are you hungry? I have some leftovers in the fridge if you want to heat up anything. The kitchen's to your left through that archway. Don't be shy, take anything you like. The living room's over there to your right. Normally I'd say you could feel free to stay up all night watching TV. if you wanted but I think today's a special circumstance. You both could use some rest." Said Rachael, mostly giving her directions for Yoosung's benefit.

"Your house is so... wow." Remarked Yoosung. He didn't think he'd ever been anywhere quite as lavish... or spacious. This was incredible. MC looked only mildly uncomfortable being back in her friend's house once again. She was starting to get over accepting her help but it was taking a little longer than she had hoped.

"Oh! The washer and dryer are down in the basement by the way. Tomorrow if you need to wash anything once we get you guys settled don't be afraid to go right ahead. And my game room's down there too. So have at it." Rachael continued, listing off of her fingers in case she had forgotten anything.

"Did you say game room?" Asked Yoosung seriously. He felt like he had died and gone to heaven. MC laughed next to him, already well aware of what his reaction was going to be when Rachael mentioned that particular room.

"Oh, yeah! I have a couple computers and some game systems down there. We can play pool too if you want!" She answered happily.

"This is amazing." Commented Yoosung. Rachael smiled happily.

"Oh, before I forget. Your guys' room is upstairs on the right. There's a full size bed up there you two can share. I hope that's okay. No guests of mine are sleeping on the couch so don't even ask." She said, fully ready to berate them.

"W-wait did you say bed? One bed? We have to share?" Stuttered Yoosung. MC flushed as well.

"Uh, Rachael don't you think that's a bit.. uh..." MC said nervously.

"Nonsense. There's nothing wrong with sharing a bed with someone. I have only two rules here at Castle de Rachael. One, no one sleeps on the couch. What kind of host would I be if I let that happen? That's just bad manners." She insisted towards the blushing couple. "And two, no one goes into my room without my permission. That's all. Otherwise feel free to do what you want. I'm barely at home some days anyway." She laughed.

Yoosung and MC looked at each other nervously. Were they really going to have to share a bed? With a look back to Rachael the answer was clear. Tonight was going to be an interesting night.


	10. Chapter 10 Sugar

Chapter 10  
Sugar

Yoosung and MC stood alone in the quiet bedroom. MC had stayed in this room countless of times a couple of years ago but to Yoosung it was entirely new territory. The fact that they were now being forced to share a bed wasn't sitting well with either of them. It wasn't as if either was exactly opposed to it but the idea of it was too embarrassing to actually picture doing.

MC had imagined a scenario similar to this many times over but to actually be living it out was almost too much for her to take. Her face flushed deeply as she tried to speak. Yoosung seemed to be having similar problems.

"Um... I could uh, take the floor. If you're too uncomfortable to... share the bed." Offered MC nervously. Part of her hoped he refused.

"Huh? Wha- oh no! No I could never let you sleep on the cold hard floor. I'll take it. You deserve the bed, your head is still inured." Yoosung insisted. MC shook her head.

"Yoosung you've been sleeping in a chair the last couple of days... and if you're really going to help Rachael move all my things tomorrow you need to rest well. I insist." Said MC with a blush. Their conversation seemed to have hit an impasse. A moment of silence passed before Yoosung finally gathered the courage to respond.

"Well... if you really are that insistent... I mean, I wouldn't really mind... sharing." He said tentatively. His cheeks burned as he looked off into a corner.

"I... I guess it would be okay. I mean it's not like we're gonna do anything." Laughed MC nervously. Had she somehow entered a sauna at some point during this conversation? Surely people weren't supposed to sweat this much.

Even though both had finally agreed to the arrangements already set in place neither could make the first move. After a bit of hesitant laughing MC walked towards the bed cautiously, opting to scooch up towards the wall. She nervously crawled under the covers and looked over to her boyfriend, waiting expectantly for him to join her. A loud thumping pounded against her eardrum as her heart beat faster.

It didn't take long after she settled in for him to build up the courage to follow her under the covers. He lied on his back, not sure what to do in this situation. This wasn't something he had mentally prepared himself for. Sure, he sometimes entertained the thought of what it would've been like to share her bed back at the apartment but this was different. He didn't feel as suave as he imagined himself being. What was he supposed to do with his arms?

The bed creaked as MC rolled over towards the wall further, her back facing him. She could feel her blood pumping through her entire body as a warm sensation overtook her. Every part of her felt tingly and she found it was harder to breathe when every breath smelled like him.

"W-well uh, goodnight Yoosung..." she said softly, not daring to turn her head.

Yoosung looked over at her, a sense of longing building in his chest. An urge to pull her close to him and bury his face into the crook of her neck drifted through his mind. The blush across his cheeks deepened as he chose to follow her example, rolling over onto his side opposite of her. He looked out towards the dark empty room as the butterflies flapped faster inside of him.

"Goodnight... MC."

A soft rapping at the bedroom door roused them both awake. Yoosung blinked sleepily, trying to sit up. An unexpected weight was pressing down onto chest. The smell of strawberries wafted up through his senses as something shifted against him.

It was then he realized MC had rolled over in her sleep and was currently using his chest as a pillow, her arm draped across him. He flushed deeply and froze. His mind had gone blank and he didn't know what to do. Another series of knocks finally woke the woman cuddled up against him.

"Hey, are you guys awake? We gotta head out soon! I made breakfast so hurry down lovebirds~." Called Rachael's voice from behind the door.

Yoosung felt MC stiffen beside him. Before he knew it she was flailing, flopping off of him and knocking herself against the wall in a panic.

"MC! Ah, are you okay?" He asked as he sat up, his arms outstretched towards her. She had turned red as a stops sign. It was visible even with her hands covering the vast majority of her face. He couldn't help but smile a little at her display. She really was cute.

"Yeah!" She said in a much higher octave than normal. "I- I mean, yeah. Sorry, about that I mean. I didn't mean to." Yoosung laughed, finally recovered from the initial shock. He actually felt quite happy to wake up the way he did.

"It's okay." He giggled, looking at her glowing face. A thought struck him suddenly and a devilish smirk touched his lips. "Hey, MC?"

"Hm?"

"Red is definitely your color, very cute."

He had never been hit so hard with a pillow in his entire life.

After both changing in the bathroom, separately of course, they headed down to the main floor. A familiar maple scent filled the air as they stepped off of the stairway. MC already knew what was coming and her smile grew wide.

"Good morning!" Said Rachael as they made their way into the kitchen. She had a batch of pancakes stacked atop a plate in the center of the dining table. Butter, syrup, peanut butter and jelly littered the table as well surrounding the main dish. A glass of milk each rested in front of three of the chairs. Yoosung's mouth watered just looking at all of it.

"Oh wow Rachael, those look delicious!" Complimented MC as she sat down at the table. Rachael gave an exaggerated bow and laughed.

"That's... a lot of pancakes." Remarked Yoosung. He stared in awe before MC gently pulled his wrist, gesturing for him to sit down. "Oh, uh, thank you Rachael. This is so nice of you."

"Ah, no big deal. I never have people to cook for so it's my pleasure. Help yourself! We got a big day ahead of us if we're gonna get you two moved in here by the end of the night." Said Rachael, sitting down across from them. "Oh, and I figured we should bake a cake afterwards to celebrate too!"

"Rachael," said MC but didn't get a chance to finish.

"Ah, ah, ah. Nope. We're doing it. If you feel so bad about it then I can leave it to you two to bake it but we're having a cake." Rachael laughed as she jabbed a fork in MC's direction. "I might have to go to the store later anyway to pick something up."

"I think cake sounds nice." Said Yoosung as he stacked pancakes onto his plate. MC looked at him with a pout.

"Who's side are you on?" She scoffed with a smile.

"The one that gets you cake." He answered honestly. MC shook her head and laughed to herself.

"Alright you two hurry and eat. We got a schedule to keep." Said Rachael with mock seriousness. She smirked before digging into her own plate of pancakes. This was definitely better than having breakfast alone like she usually did.

The ride back to the apartment sent MC's stomach into a flurry of knots. The nervousness was overwhelming. It was embarrassing going back to that place. She deeply hoped she wouldn't see the landlord on their way up.

There wasn't much that she actually needed to take with her though, thankfully. She never really acquired very much during her stay at the apartment. Just a few essentials and tables. The rest had been furnished via the apartment itself. If she hadn't had so little to her name at the time, and understood the gravity of the difference in the cost in the long run, she would've opted for an unfurnished room instead. Luckily at least with her severe lack of large furniture they wouldn't have to worry about carrying so many things down the stairs.

MC swore there were eyes all over her as they trudged up the many staircases to the top floor. She wasn't one for breaking rules most of the time so the fact that she had been evicted from her home for doing exactly that made her feel quite on edge. Of course, since she had Yoosung and Rachael with her she wasn't as worried as she normally would be. She was in good hands.

After opening the door a sting of remorse filled her. The smell of home filled her nose as they filed inside. She had to remain on the couch as Yoosung and Rachael took turns taking things downstairs to the car. Yoosung had been adamant about her not lifting a finger in her state. He didn't want the exertion to mess with her head. Even though she tried insisting that she was fine he wouldn't have it. She conceded eventually and took to instructing them where everything in her ex-home was located.

MC felt bad watching her boyfriend and best friend do all of the work for her. They didn't seem to mind at all though and kept on an ongoing conversation, occasionally including her as they re-entered the room again and again. Even with her small amount of possessions the walk down the stairs severely stretched the time needed to accomplish the task of moving her out. It seemed like hours had passed by the time they finished. Yoosung and Rachael looked absolutely exhausted.

"Alright. Wow, I can't believe it's already past 4." Panted Rachael as she checked her watch. They were making their last rounds down the stairs, each holding a small array of things. "Why couldn't they just fix that damn elevator. We could've been done hours ago!" She complained.

"Trust me, I wish I knew why the thing was always broken down. I never would've chosen that room had I known when it broke I'd have to use the stairs forever after." Groaned MC.

"Well, I guess it's good we're staying at Rachael's then. She only has one staircase." Mused Yoosung, earning a playful nudge and a shush from MC. Rachael snickered at their interaction.

"Oh, geez, you guys are gonna make my teeth rot out if you keep that up." She laughed. MC flushed while Yoosung smiled.

The ride back was a bit more cramped than usual. Even in Rachael's SUV, with all of MC's things cluttered and shoved about the place, it wasn't quite as roomy as they would've liked. It felt even more cramped as Yoosung reached for his phone.

"Who's that?" Asked MC as she watched him. She wondered if Seven had more news about Yoosung's situation. He had told her in private before they headed to bed the night before about his sudden contact with Seven and what he had told him.

"It's Zen." Answered Yoosung as he tapped open his RFA messenger.

"Oh, neat. Tell him I said hi." MC insisted before leaning back onto his shoulder.

"Hey, Yoosung. What's up? I haven't heard from you In a few days. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, sorry. I was preoccupied with MC for awhile there. She got really hurt."

"What? Is she doing okay now? You better be taking good care of her!"

"I am! It's actually a really long story. I got into a fight! The police are after the guy that hurt her. Do you remember that guy I told you about? Kyle, her coworker?"

"Yeah, the possessive stalker creep. You told me he tried telling you she was his girlfriend, right?

"Yeah that's him. He attacked her when we were trying to leave work a few days ago. We had to take her to the hospital :'( she's doing better now though. We're staying at her friend's house for now."

"God, guys really are wolves. And wait, did you say you guys are staying at her friend's house? Like another girl?"

"Yeah, MC got evicted from her apartment."

"I told you you shouldn't have been staying there with her!"

Yoosung rolled his eyes before looking back to his phone.

"Well where else was I supposed to go? I tried leaving once and that didn't work out too well. Besides, I never would've gotten a girlfriend if I'd have left. I don't think it was such a bad idea now."

"And now you're staying at ANOTHER girl's house?"

"Yes;;"

"Yoosung you better not try to pull anything funny while you're there."

"Zen! You know I'd never do anything to MC! And her friend's just my friend too. My heart belongs to MC. I wouldn't even be able to look at someone else the way I look at her."

"Oh, geez, you're really in deep aren't you? I know Seven said you'd been talking to this girl for awhile but I didn't think it was this serious."

Yoosung flushed. In actuality he'd only really known MC for a little under two weeks. It wasn't his fault he felt the way he did though. To him it felt like he had known her for so much longer. Much, much longer.

"Yeah;; you don't have to worry about me."

"You're still sleeping in the same house as your lady. All men are wolves, of course I'm still going to worry. Eventually you're going to want to try something. Control yourself."

"Zen, I'm an adult! And this is none of your business. MC and I are going to do fine. I'm not going to do anything bad to her."

"Okay, Yoosung. I'm trusting you on this. I gotta go, my manager's trying to call me. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, goodbye."

Yoosung sighed, his cheeks burning slightly. Of course he wasn't going to try anything on MC! What kind of man would he be to do something like that? She had been through enough. Besides, they hadn't even kissed yet...

"Yoosung, you okay?" Asked MC, looking up at him from his shoulder. She had noticed the redness to his cheeks and was curious.

"What, oh no yeah I'm okay." Said Yoosung, shaking his head and looking off through the window.

"Hey, you kids behaving back there?" Called Rachael from the front seat. "I don't want any stains on my seats."

"RACHAEL!"

After making it back to Rachael's not so humble abode and bringing all of MC's things inside they were thoroughly exhausted. Except for MC of course. She just kind of felt bad for causing all of this mess. Yoosung and Rachael insisted everything was fine but it still didn't quite ease the guilt in her heart.

"Like I said, if you want to make it up to me, make a cake. That's how you can repay me." Offered Rachael as they walked towards the living room.

"But I would be using your food to do it." Said MC, not buying it.

"Yeah, but not my energy. I moved your stuff, now you can move mine into the shape of a cake." Chuckled Rachael. MC didn't seem quite convinced but admitted defeat.

"Alright." She said with a sigh before her friend poked her in the side.

"Cheer up, this is a celebration! My friend is back!" Rachael smiled, giving her friend a hug. She had missed MC so much she couldn't contain how happy she was that she was staying with her. She was even happy about her friend's boyfriend staying as well. Anything so her friend was happy. And boy, did she look happy near that man.

"Now, I have to go pick something up from the store okay? I'll be gone for a bit so I expect the celebrations to begin as soon as I get back. Okay?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. MC tried to hold a straight face without success before she smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get going already why don't ya." MC laughed.

"Oh, MC, I can help with the cake!" Said Yoosung happily, already standing in the doorway.

"See, look at that, you even have a Sous-chef over there." Said Rachael, pointing a thumb over to the blonde. MC rolled her eyes.

"Alright, come on Yoosung." Said MC as she walked over to join him. "Let's go make this cake already."

"That's the spirit!" Said Rachael with a snicker before she headed towards the front door. "I'll be back later, don't have too much fun while I'm gone!"

MC flushed as she watched her friend walk out of the door. Yoosung laughed softly to himself.

"Your friend really likes teasing you." He remarked.

"Tell me something I don't know." Said MC as she headed down the hall. Yoosung trailed behind her, following as she walked into the kitchen. The smell of maple had long since dissipated from the room. A soft hint of lemon had replaced it after Rachael had finished cleaning the table. For such a big house it was rather well taken care of. He wondered how someone could keep a place so clean. Even in the old place he used to live things had gotten pretty bad. He had even found a cockroach once. A shudder rippled through him at the memory. Never again. Please let that never happen again.

"Hey, do you know what all goes into a cake?" Asked MC as she rifled through her friend's cupboards. She had already pulled out a package of sugar and flour.

"Um, I haven't baked anything in a long time. I'm not sure. I think... eggs?" Said Yoosung, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration. "Oh, wait! I can Google it give me a second."

It wasn't so hard to find a cake recipe online thankfully. Choosing one however that both sounded good and wasn't excruciatingly long was an entirely different matter. Eventually they settled on a plain white cake. A couple eggs, sugar, milk, flour and some vanilla extract. MC stood tapping her finger to her chin as she stared at the ingredients before rustling around in the cabinets again. She pulled out two different cans and held them towards Yoosung.

"Strawberry or chocolate icing?" She asked. Yoosung's cheeks pinkened before he answered.

"Strawberry. Definitely." He said confidently. MC smiled before putting the chocolate icing back.

"You love strawberry too?" MC asked happily as she set the container down.

"It's my favorite." He said with a smile, his eyes shining brightly.

MC took over measuring out the ingredients while Yoosung stirred in everything in a big bowl. It seemed even with all of Rachael's fancy gadgets throughout the house she didn't own an electric mixer. Yoosung would be lying if he tried to say this wasn't exhausting. However, he had to put on a brave face for his girlfriend. Even if his arm felt like it was on fire. He wasn't used to this kind of exercise. Or really any exercise for that matter.

"Okay so now we have to put everything in these pans. Careful, don't spill any of it." Said MC cautiously as she watched Yoosung fill the cake pans on the counter top.

"Don't worry, I got it." He assured her. As nice as the batter looked in those pans it didn't change the fact that the entire rest of the counter was covered in various ingredients. They'd definitely need to clean once they were done. At least it hadn't gotten onto the floor.

Before Yoosung could move the pans to the oven, however, MC stopped him.

"Wait, I have to do something first." Said MC before she picked up one of the pans gently off of the counter top. She dropped it back down with a soft bang.

"What are you doing?" Asked Yoosung.

"My mom taught me to always do this before you bake something. It gets all of the bubbles out so it can settle better." She explained before doing it a few times to the other pan as well. "Now they're ready."

Waiting for the cake slabs to bake was probably the most boring part of the process. They had to wait an entire hour before they could be taken out. Of course, time always seemed to move slower when you were waiting on something. Life was cruel like that.

"So, have you ever thought about going to school?" Asked Yoosung out of the blue as they watched the timer tick down to fifteen minutes. They had been having an aimless conversation for the past forty five minutes ranging from everything to favorite colors and animals to TV shows. It turns out they had both seen a few of the same shows thanks to MC's interest in Korean dramas. Past that however was a lost cause.

"Well, I'm not sure. I never really had the option since well, you know. I figured I'd just have to work to get by for the rest of my life." She said, twiddling a mixing spoon in her hand. "I don't think I'm really very good at anything."

"There's got to be something you like to do." Insisted Yoosung. MC merely shrugged.

"What about you?" She said, pushing the question back towards him. She didn't completely know everything about him. She never did get to play his after end after all.

"Well... for awhile I wanted to go into medicine." He began, looking lost in thought. "After Rika's dog passed away I wanted to become a veterinarian. If I did that, I could've protected all of her pets so no one would have to suffer again. I felt so bad for her and Sally... She went blind, Sally I mean her dog, and she got hit by a car. Rika was devastated. I wanted to do something to help. But ever since Rika's passing I haven't been sure about myself..." he admitted, letting out a sad sigh. MC sighed and walked over to him, putting a hand on top of his shoulder.

"I think you'd make a wonderful vet, Yoosung. If that's what you want to do you should do it. I'm sure Rika would be proud of you if you succeeded in something like that." Encouraged MC. Yoosung gave her a tender smile before reaching up to take her hand in both of his.

"You're too kind. I don't know how I ended up with someone as sweet and caring as you. You always know just what to say to make me feel better." He said as he squeezed her hand gently. MC felt blood rise to her cheeks and she looked away shyly.

"You're making me blush..." She said softly.

"I know, but it only makes you look even more beautiful." He said sincerely. Her blush deepened.

Before things could progress further the oven timer went off causing then both to jump. MC looked over at the stove before reluctantly taking her hand back from her boyfriend's warm grasp.

"The uh, cake..." she said before swallowing thickly.

"Yeah, haha, we should probably get those out of there." Said Yoosung, his eyes never leaving her's.

After the cakes had sufficiently cooled came the time to ice them. It had ended up being even messier than mixing the ingredients had been. Pink globs scattered over the counter tops as both MC and Yoosung tried to frost each slab of cake before placing them on top of each other. It didn't look perfect but it was good enough. MC was convinced that it would be the best tasting cake she had ever had.

"Alright, now we just need to clea-" said Yoosung, letting out a gasp of horror as he dropped his butter knife onto the mixing bowl, sending the wooden spoon resting inside it flying across the room. It had narrowly avoided MC's face, splattering her with icing instead. She was in shock as she wiped a glob if sugary pink from her cheek. Her eyes trained on her boyfriend's terrified expression.

"MC I am so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

SPLAT

The glob of icing made contact with Yoosung's face and he let out a squeak. MC burst into a fit of laughter as he doubled over, wiping his face frantically. Her laughter didn't last very long however as another offending blob of pink slapped itself against her other cheek. With wide eyes she stared back at her boyfriend and his shit eating grin. This meant war.

Before he could stop her she had grabbed another handful of icing and charged at him, yelling wildly. He let out a noise of surprise and backed away before grabbing onto her arms. She struggled against him, barely containing her smile as she tried with all her might to mash the bit of icing into his face.

"MC no! Put it down!" Laughed Yoosung, using all of his strength to keep her at bay. But still she proceeded.

"No! You're going to get this and you're going to like it!" She insisted before Yoosung managed to twist her arms away from him. In a strange turn of events she found herself bound by him against his chest. She couldn't move. Since when had their faces gotten so close?

She hadn't noticed exactly how mesmerizing his eyes were until that moment. No matter what she did she couldn't look away. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden as they both stood in silence, almost frozen in time. Only the sound of their light panting filled the room.

She was beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Never before had he seen her face so close to his. Her lips so close to his. Her body pressed so close to his. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his eyes flickered from her's down to her lips.

The smell of strawberries drifted under his nose and he felt a pull in his stomach. His hands released her arms to slip behind her, one pressed to the small of her back as the other made its way up to her cheek. Her blush deepened as his thumb stroked the side of her face. She was so soft. His head was starting to feel fuzzy.

Sparks of electricity seemed to fly around them as he leaned into her. It happened so slowly she was barely aware of it before it was too late. Warm, soft lips pressed against her's. So gentle and so light. Her eyes shot open as a sudden jolt of surprise raced through her. A tingling sensation radiated through her body and she sank into his touch, eyes drifting closed.

He felt her sudden weight in his arms and pulled away, looking down at her with pupils blown wide and a fresh blush coating his cheeks. She looked dazed as she relaxed into his arms, a smile pulling at her lips. He grinned and pulled her closer to him. She accepted his embrace without question, burying her face into his chest.

Warmth pooled in her stomach as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, holding her gently. She felt so safe in his arms. This was what she was waiting for her entire life. This was where she was meant to be. Right here, in his arms.

A warm breeze tickled her ear as he shifted against her, his lips inches from her skin. She would never in a million years be able to describe what she felt in that next moment as he whispered to her. His breath had been so warm, his embrace so loving as they stood in that kitchen. Those words would ring in her ears for years to come.

"I love you.. MC."


	11. Chapter 11 Return

Chapter 11  
Return

Rachael had come home to her kitchen in shambles. Frosting, flour and sugar coated her counters along with the two people standing beside them. She noticed a tinge of pink coated their cheeks that didn't look like it had anything to do with frosting. However, for once, she decided to leave well enough alone. It seemed they had had a moment while she had been away and she didn't have the heart to ruin it. Instead, she announced her presence at the archway leading into the kitchen, causing them both to jump. She'd never seen two people separate so quickly. It felt like she was a teacher yelling at a pair of students in the hallway to stop groping at each other.

MC, in a state of panic, insisted a cake monster had tried to attack them while they were baking. Obviously that was the only logical explanation to why her kitchen was a mess. Rachael agreed that it was a foolproof defense and congratulated them on defeating the offending monster for her. Of course, that didn't get them out of helping her clean up its guts. After cake, obviously.

Once every bit of sugar had been scrubbed clean off of the counter tops and floor Rachael led MC into the living room. She told her she had gotten a present for her while she was out. MC was surprised and had a small urge to refuse. Though when she saw what her friend had bought her that urge was suddenly not so small anymore.

A brand new smart phone rested in Rachael's hand as she reached out towards her friend. MC looked mortified. How could she have went out and bought something so expensive out of the blue? Had she been planning this or something? A nagging feeling pulled at MC that that could indeed be the case.

No matter how hard she tried to refuse Rachael wasn't taking it. She insisted that she needed a phone and that it wasn't just for her own benefit. There might be a time where MC would need to get a hold of her and if she didn't have a phone then what would she do? Plus, Rachael had to admit, she was just tired of MC not having one. It was practically an essential nowadays!

With a begrudging sigh MC reached out and took the unwanted present. She felt immensely guilty but there was no other option for her to take. It was true she needed a new phone and that she probably couldn't afford one on her own. That didn't mean that she could find any comfort in her friend buying it for her however. Rachael was too liberal with her money for her own good.

"Did she seriously buy you a whole new phone?" Asked Yoosung as they made their way up to the bedroom. He was in shock.

"Yeah, I can't believe it. She's too much sometimes..." said MC with a sigh.

As they entered the bedroom a familiar dilemma resurfaced. MC stared at the bed, a blush already forming on her cheeks. She could feel the tingling sensation from earlier rise up in her abdomen. Unconsciously she touched her finger to her lips.

"So uh, we should probably get to bed. Don't you have to work tomorrow?" Asked Yoosung as he headed toward the bed. His cheeks were lightly flushed as well but he seemed to be keeping himself rather composed.

"Oh, yeah I do actually. You don't?" She asked, following his lead. It was still embarrassing sharing a bed together even though they had already went through this the previous night. Especially after that kiss...

"No," Yoosung shook his head. "Are you sure you're alright to go back? You don't want to take another day off? I'm sure the manager would understand." He insisted as he pulled up the covers, rolling over to face her. She found she couldn't look him directly in the eye.

"No, I should be okay. Besides I don't want to be in debt to Rachael forever..." she said quietly.

"I know how you feel." Laughed Yoosung. She felt something warm take hold of her hand beneath the covers. MC's blush deepened. "Just as I hope I'll be able to repay you one day."

"Yoosung, you don't need to repay me for anything. I don't want your money..." Said MC, her eyes glancing up into his. He smiled as his hand squeezed her's gently.

"That's not what I mean." He said, stroking her hand with his thumb. "I want to repay you for your kindness, your helpfulness, your generosity... everything. But not with money, with this." He gently pulled her hand above the covers, pressing his lips against it softly. "I promise to repay you with my heart."

MC's cheeks burned as she stared down between them. The bed creaked as Yoosung's weight shifted. A pair of arms hesitantly wrapped around her. MC shivered as Yoosung held her close to his chest. Strangely, as nervous as she was before to be lying next to him, everything seemed to calm down all at once.

A soft heart beat met MC's ears as her head lay against him. She felt safe.

"I... hope this is okay." He said slowly, holding her close.

"Yes," She replied softly, letting out a shaky breath. "This is... nice." He hugged her tighter before relaxing against her. She could practically see his smile in her mind as she nuzzled her face into his chest.

"I'm glad. I wish I could hold you like this forever." He said softly. MC felt her heart skip a beat at his words. "Goodnight, MC. Sweet dreams." A light kiss pressed against the top of her head.

"Goodnight... Yoosung."

The next morning seemed to give way to a new routine among the new members of the household. Rachael had come to knock on their door again, announcing breakfast was ready. MC had opened her eyes groggily with a yawn. She found herself still fully intertwined with her boyfriend and blushed, nudging him awake.

"Hm?" He said sleepily, opening one eye.

"Come on, Yoosung. It's time to get up. Rachael has breakfast ready." Said MC, smiling as she watched him sit up. His bed head was absolute perfection.

"It's morning already...?" He asked with a yawn. As he turned to face her he smiled. "I'm so happy you're the first thing I get to see when I wake up." MC blushed before shoving him in the shoulder. He had been getting exceptionally cheesy lately. Not that she minded, of course.

"Come on, you dork." She laughed. He merely smiled.

Breakfast was even better than the previous morning's. Eggs, hash browns and sausage piled high on their plates. Rachael really did seem grateful to have people to cook for again.

"Wow, Rachael. This is really good!" Said MC enthusiastically as she dug into her plate.

"It's just eggs, MC." Rachael laughed.

"No, she's right. This is really good." Insisted Yoosung, taking a bite out of his sausage. "You're a really good cook!"

"Aw, shucks guys stop you're gonna make me blush." Said Rachael happily.

"I don't understand why they won't let you work in the kitchen back at work." Said MC. "Your food tastes much better than anything they make."

"Wait, why can't she?" Asked Yoosung curiously. Rachael pursed her lips before answering.

"They keep telling me they already have all the spots filled. I don't have the 'qualifications', according to them." She said as she stabbed at her hash browns. MC frowned as she watched her friend.

"Maybe one day they'll let you. If you bug them enough anyway." Suggested MC. She knew it was pointless to say. Her friend had been bugging them about it ever since they started working there.

"Yeah, starting to wonder when enough is gonna come though." Scoffed Rachael. "Oh! Speaking of work, you have to work today don't you MC?"

"Yeah I do, why?" Said MC.

"Perfect! Yoosung and I will drive you up there. We both have the day off, don't we?" Said Rachael happily. Yoosung looked surprised for a moment before nodding.

"Awesome, I had some stuff I wanted to do today. You should come with me Yoosung. It'll give me a chance to get to know you more." She suggested. "Plus, no offense, but we gotta get you some new clothes. It can't be nice wearing the same old thing all the time like that. Did this poor boy not bring a single extra piece of clothing when he came to your house?"

Both MC and Yoosung froze. A flashback from the day Yoosung had first appeared in her old living room flashed before her eyes. The explosion, the confusion, the hairbrush, all of it rushed back to her. How exactly was she going to explain any of this? Yoosung seemed equally at a loss for words beside her. Coming up with a lie as quick as she could, she blurted out the first thing to come to mind.

"He uh, lost his suitcase." She said hurriedly. Both Yoosung and Rachael gave her a strange look. "Yeah uh, he came here by plane. I mean, he is from South Korea after all."

Yoosung's eyes lit up as finally understood her plan.

"Ah, yeah, my stuff got lost in the baggage return. They still haven't contacted me about anything." He said, agreeing with his girlfriend.

"What? That's so messed up! We should call them and complain!" Said Rachael. She seemed to be more upset about this fake story than either Yoosung or MC.

"No!" They both shouted at once. Rachael looked startled.

"Uh, I mean, we already did. There's nothing they could do about it unfortunately. We were planning on getting him more clothes but well, you saw what happened to my place." Said MC delicately. Rachael thought for a moment before replying.

"Well, that does suck. How much did you lose Yoosung? I hope there wasn't anything expensive in there." She said with concern. Yoosung shook his head.

"Nah I just uh, had a couple pairs of clothes and a toothbrush. You know, essentials." He laughed uneasily. Rachael looked at them suspiciously before deciding to drop it.

"Well regardless, you're coming with me. I can't just let you wear the same pair of pant and shirt every single day now can I?" Rachael insisted as she finished up her food.

MC felt strange on the way up to work. She was worried about how Yoosung would fair spending an entire day alone with Rachael. She was certainly a handful, even for her. MC only hoped that Yoosung wouldn't let anything slip about their predicament.

A twinge of guilt stung her insides as she thought back to their earlier conversation. She had said the only thing that made any sense at the time. He was in fact from South Korea. Maybe not their own per se but that was about as close as it mattered. It didn't feel right for her to have lied but she didn't really see any alternative. Rachael would think they were crazy. Anyone would, really.

As they pulled up to the restaurant Rachael and Yoosung turned to look back at her. She had insisted Yoosung sit in the front with her since they were dropping off MC anyway.

"Last chance to ditch work." Rachael said jokingly. MC gave a sarcastic laugh.

"You know me better than that Rachael." She smirked as she unbuckled her seat belt, slipping out of the car.

"Killjoy." Remarked her friend.

"MC! Wait, come here." Said Yoosung urgently. MC raised an eyebrow before circling the car to his window. He shook his head and gestured for her to move closer. As soon as she stepped within distance he leaned out of the window and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Have a lovely day at work." He smiled. MC blushed before giving him a smile.

"Yeah, and have fun hanging out with that monster." She laughed as she headed to the doorway. Yoosung called after her, asking if she really meant what she said. He didn't get his answer.

As MC walked into the familiar backroom she headed towards her locker, fully ready to put up her things for the day. Spotting a dent in the metal stopped her dead in her tracks. A dull ache spread across her forehead as she looked at the damaged locker. It seemed they had replaced the door but thought nothing of fixing any other pieces of damaged property. She shivered, trying to clear her mind of that night. This wasn't going to be a problem for her. She just had to not let it bother her was all. A strange knot formed in her stomach. Perhaps this wasn't going to be as easy as she told herself it would be.

Opening the door to the manager's office, she stepped inside. Paul, her boss, sat at his desk, his face buried in paperwork. He didn't seem to notice her presence.

"Um, Paul?" MC said softly causing the man to jump.

"Oh, oh my goodness MC I forgot you were coming back today! Are you sure you don't need another day off? You look a little rough." He mentioned. MC felt a bit self conscious but brushed it off.

"No uh, I'm okay. I was just coming in to tell you I was back before I headed to the floor." She insisted.

"Alright, if you insist. But if you feel you need an extra break don't be afraid to take a few minutes outside if you need to." He said reassuringly. She thanked him and headed out of the office.

The kitchen seemed so different with the lights back on. She could clearly remember how things had looked the last time she had been there. Dark, blurry, and so very eerie. It took all she had not to stop and look back at the wall she had been held up against only a few days prior. Her heart rate accelerated slightly at the memory and she had to take a deep breath. She was going to be fine.

The spread sheet hung on the wall next to the other pair of kitchen doors leading out to the floor. She just had to take a look at it before she could head out to start her day. But where was her name? It took her a moment to find it hastily penciled in towards the bottom. A scribble halfway down the sheet caught her eye and her insides felt icy.

She could clearly say the name 'Kyle' crossed out in black ink a few spaces above her own. A shiver ran down her spine as another memory involuntarily surfaced. The butcher knife he had held that day, glinting light menacingly swung into her minds eye. She shook her head, trying to clear the unwanted thoughts. A cold hand suddenly clasped around her shoulder as a voice spoke from behind her.

She had never jumped so high in her life. With a scream she smacked the would be attacker with the paper she had been holding as she jumped out of arm's reach. An unfamiliar boy of about eighteen stood dumbstruck in front of her. She gasped before apologizing profusely.

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me!" She said in a panic. He seemed to have finally recovered and waved her off.

"No, it's okay." He said. "I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that. You're MC aren't you? I'm so sorry I scared you I promise I wasn't going to do anything to you."

"How do you know my name?" She asked hesitantly. Who was this guy?

"Geez I feel rude, uh the other waitresses told me about what happened. I figured you must be the girl they were talking about." He admitted, scratching behind his head nervously. MC made a face. "I'm new here. My name's Geoffrey. You can just call me Geoff though. I was supposed to start a couple days ago but... yeah."

"Oh uh, hi then. You said that the others told you about me...?" She asked curiously. The knot in her stomach from before grew tighter.

"Well... they told me about Kyle. I'm sorry, I didn't make you mad or anything did I? Augh I feel like such an ass." Said Geoff, his hands rubbing at his face. MC's face burned slightly at the thought that her coworkers had been gossiping about her. No, that wasn't right, they were just letting the new guy know what happened was all. She didn't need to be so sensitive about it. With a deep breath she shook her head.

"No, no it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm okay now so everything's cool. Welcome aboard and all that." Said MC. She didn't want to dwell on the incident from before. It was already taking most of her willpower just to ignore the atmosphere of the kitchen itself. Geoff looked relieved.

"Thanks!" Said Geoff cheerfully. He seemed to bounce back fast.

"Well... we should probably get to work then." Said MC awkwardly as she scanned the paper again. She didn't really want to reminisce about her trauma any longer. Geoff nodded and said a polite goodbye before heading over towards the dishwasher. He must be assigned to dish duty because of what happened with Kyle. A shiver rushed through her. She really needed to stop thinking about him. Otherwise she was just going to start making herself feel paranoid.

As she opened the door a familiar face caught her eye briefly from the window. The moment didn't last long as the hooded figure quickly ducked and ran from sight. It had been just long enough, however. She recognized those eyes. An icy sting of fear coarsed through her veins. Those eyes had haunted her dreams since that night. They were his eyes.

Rachael and Yoosung had made their way to one of the closest clothing stores in their area. It hadn't taken long for Rachael to convince Yoosung to just pick a few things. He didn't want to admit it but he was becoming unfortunately used to things like this happening to him. Even so, he vowed to himself that he would repay his two friends. Well, his friend and his girlfriend.

His heart fluttered in his chest as a wave of nervousness washed over him. He couldn't believe how brave he had been the past couple of days. She was driving him absolutely crazy. In probably the best way possible of course. It was still so hard for him to wrap his head around the fact he had actually finally kissed her. She had even kissed him back! A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. He was proud of himself.

Even with how nervous he felt around her, the fact that she seemed even more bashful gave him the courage to take his chances. He wondered what would happen once she finally got accustomed to him. If she suddenly pulled a move on him he wasn't sure if his heart could take it. It would have to stay his little secret how nervous she made him feel all of the time. He actually felt pretty manly and proud with how things were going so far.

"Hey, earth to Blondie you there?" Said Rachael, waving a hand in front of his face. He snapped out of his thoughts as a light flush rose to his cheeks.

"What?" He asked in a dazed voice before shaking his head to clear his mind.

"What the heck was going on in there that you didn't hear me talking to you for the last five minutes?" Nagged Rachael. "You're as bad as MC when she was playing that dumb game."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Yoosung, shifting the bags in his hands as they walked towards the exit of the store.

"The vacant yet pink expression, the inability to somehow notice my presence, both of you are exactly the same." She laughed again.

"Wait no I mean what game are you talking about?" Asked Yoosung curiously. He had a hunch he knew what game she was talking about but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. He wondered if he could get Rachael to tell him more about things MC seemed too tight lipped about.

"Oh, she never told you? I don't know if I should say anything then. It might embarrass her." Said Rachael thoughtfully. Yoosung felt both relieved and upset to hear her say that. He was happy she was a good friend to MC but slightly disappointed that she wouldn't tell him anything.

"You know... you do really remind me of her favorite character though." Said Rachael. She believed this wouldn't be too much information to give away about the game. Her friend could like a character without it necessarily being a dating game right? This shouldn't hurt. Besides, it really was uncanny how much her friend's boyfriend reminded her of that character.

Yoosung's eyes twinkled. Was she talking about him? Had he really been MC's favorite? He knew she had played his route but somehow hearing someone else confirm that he really was her favorite made him feel warm inside. So she really hadn't just been saying it, it was true.

"Really?" He asked, hoping for more.

"Yeah it's actually kind of weird now that I think about it. She was absolutely gaga over this guy and now here you are and I swear you look just like him." She said, a hint of suspicion to her voice. "Is there something weird going on here I don't know about?"

"What? No nothing weird at all." Said Yoosung suddenly worried. Of course, what did he really have to worry about? It's not like he could explain what happened nor would she ever guess it. Who would believe either of them anyway?

"I sure hope not. I mean, MC does like you for more than how you look right? What am I saying, she's not that kind of girl." She said, shaking her head. She looked clearly upset with herself for even suggesting it. "I just hope she's not trying to replace this guy with you is all. You're a real nice guy." Rachael looked at him with concern.

"Wow, uh, thank you." He said sincerely. "And I'm sure it's nothing like that at all. MC likes me for me. And I like her. A lot." He finished with a small smile, letting his eyes wander towards the ground shyly. Rachael snickered.

"You guys have got to quit it with all this cute nonsense you know? You're gonna give me diabetes from all the sweet talk." She laughed.

A sudden ringing caught them both off guard as they reached the car. Rachael made a face before pulling her phone out of her pocket. Why on earth was work calling her right now? Didn't they know she had the day off? She scoffed and slipped the phone back into her pocket.

Without even a second of silence the phone began to ring again. Yoosung heard Rachael curse from the other side of the car as he opened his door. He popped his head around to see what all the fuss was about. Rachael was pulling her phone from her pocket before looking angrily at the screen.

"Augh why are they calling me again?" She scoffed before answering it reluctantly. "What do you want?"

Her face dropped almost immediately to one of concern. She looked almost frightened. Yoosung felt a jolt of panic inside him as he watched her.

"Whoa baby slow down what's wrong?" She said, moving her phone to her other ear. "Who? No you can't be serious! Oh my god okay don't worry MC we'll be right there don't move okay? Did they call someone already? No? Augh those bastards okay don't worry we're just a few streets over we'll be there soon. No no don't cry it's okay. Here, I'll give the phone to your boyfriend. He'll talk to you while we drive up there is that okay? Okay. Yoosung! Take my phone we have to go, right now." She said urgently. Yoosung snatched the phone from her before asking what was going on. Rachael gestured towards her car before hurrying into the driver's seat.

As Yoosung climbed into the passenger seat he pressed the phone to his ear. Harsh sobbing poured from the phone and he felt a sense of panic.

"MC! What's wrong?" He asked worriedly. His grip tightened over the phone.

"I- I saw him." She cried. It sounded like her throat was raw through the constant sobbing.

"Who's him what're you... no! Are you okay?! What happened?" He asked as the car took off, throwing him back into his seat.

"I was, I was clocking in f-for work 'hic' and I got stuck talking t-to someone in the back." She choked out. "And when I went to go ont-to the floor I saw him. Yoosung, I-I saw him outside the window. Kyle was there!"

Yoosung nearly dropped the phone in shock. He couldn't have been there. He had a warrant out for his arrest as they spoke! There was no way he'd be so stupid as to come back to that restaurant. There had to be a different explanation. There just had to be! Deep in his heart though he knew however, that no matter how much he didn't want it to be true, he would never doubt MC. Kyle had been watching her.


	12. Chapter 12 Dilemma

Chapter 12  
Dilemma

"What do you mean you didn't report it to the police? That psycho could be trying to hurt my friend, one of your employees I might add, and you're not even going to report it because she has a head injury?! If she said she seen something then she seen something!"

Rachael had been yelling at their manager for the past twenty minutes or so as they all sat inside the main office. MC had her arms tightly wrapped around her boyfriend. She was afraid if she let go he might disappear and she'd be all alone all over again. Yoosung, however, had no plans of leaving her and held her close by his side as they sat on their respective chairs. They couldn't have been pushed any more tightly together.

"No one else has seen the man. It could have been anyone. We can't just go making calls to the police over a hallucination!" Argued Paul, their manager. He was very red in the face. "I told her she should take a few more days off because I suspected something like this might happen."

Rachael growled. Their manager may seem nice most of the time but he could be absolutely unbearable when he was sure of something. Rachael knew this wasn't the time for him to be making excuses or coming up with theories. This was the time for action! There was a warrant out for that man's arrest and he was just going to ignore this incident like it was nothing?

"He assaulted my friend! No one knows where he went, the police are trying to find him and you won't even give them a clue? Are you serious? I believe her! Isn't that enough for you?" She exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table.

"Rachael!" Shouted Paul.

"Fine, if you won't call them, I will!" She spat, pulling out her phone.

"Rachael if you so much as push one button on that phone then you can just forget about even coming back tomorrow!" He threatened. "We do not need to involve the police. They're already doing their job. They will catch him. Calling them now is ludicrous when we don't even know if he was actually anywhere near the building!"

"And what if he was?" Interjected Yoosung, holding MC closer to him protectively. "What if he tries to hurt her again? Who's going to be responsible if you don't do something?" Rachael nodded her head vigorously.

"Exactly!" She agreed.

"People please! Calm down. As much as I hate to say it I think this has become a bit too personal for both of you. I'm going to have to ask that you all take the next few days off to cool down until this clears up. Unpaid." Their manager said sternly. Rachael's jaw dropped and Yoosung's eyes widened in shock. "Until this issue is resolved and everyone can return to work normally I cannot have you disrupting my business."

"This is bullshit!" Shouted Rachael.

"You can't be serious!" Exclaimed Yoosung.

"Would you rather I make it permanent?" He retorted. The anger inside Rachael refused to simmer as she stared him down, teeth bared.

"Come on Yoosung, let's get MC out of here. We're going home." Said Rachael through clenched teeth.

Yoosung glared at Paul as he helped MC stand. He couldn't believe what was happening. How dare this man not take the safety of his employees seriously! His urge to request MC to find a different job was just continuing to grow exponentially at this rate.

The car ride home was possibly the most anxious car ride Yoosung had ever been in. Rachael was fuming the entire way back to the house. His arms were getting tired holding onto MC through every whiplash at every stop sign and red light. He really should get in shape.

MC clung to him the entire way home, trying to breathe deeply and stay calm. She just couldn't get over what she had seen. It wasn't a hallucination. She knew it couldn't have been. He had been right there, waiting and watching outside of the diner for her to walk out of the kitchen. They had locked eyes. She could never forget those eyes.

A shiver ran through her and she mentally cursed. She felt pathetic. How could she let herself get like this. He had made her so fearful that she shut down. She was weak. This wasn't the person she wanted to be anymore. Every time she tried to better herself things just seemed to get worse. At least, for now she had her best friend and boyfriend. She wasn't alone. That much was all she could truly ask for.

"Hey, MC, are you going to be okay?" Said a soft voice above her. MC looked up to see Yoosung watching her with concern. It took a moment for her to build the power to respond. Her throat had gotten so dry.

"I... I'm not sure." She admitted. She felt deflated as she clung to him in the backseat.

"Don't worry, MC," said Rachael, her hands at the wheel. "If that bastard ever comes near you I'll tear him in half."

Yoosung pulled her closer to him and rubbed her back gently, pressing a reassuring kiss to the top of her head.

"Everything will be okay. I won't let him touch a single hair on your head." Said Yoosung softly. "I'll protect you."

MC relaxed against him, letting him hold her close. A sense of relief flooded through her. She didn't need to worry so much. Not right now, anyway.

As they reached the house the sun glared down at them. It was still so early in the day. MC hadn't a clue what they would do for the rest of it. Without work she had much more free time than she knew what to do with. Maybe after she completely calmed down she could set up her new phone properly at the very least.

She hadn't been able to use a cell phone ever since her old one blew up. So many things had been going wrong lately. Had Yoosung showing up in her life effectively sucked up any remainder of good luck she possessed? Was she doomed to a life of bad coincidences forever more? First her phone blew up, her car had died, she had been attacked and evicted. Things couldn't get much worse.

Wait.

Her car!

She had completely forgotten about her car! It was still back at her old apartment complex. What had she been thinking? This was just her luck. Tragedy after tragedy and now her car was probably impounded. When were things finally going to turn around?

"Rachael?" Asked MC from the couch quietly.

They had been sitting in the living room in silence. The TV. was the only source of noise in the otherwise quiet room.

"Hm?" Rachael responded, dragging her eyes from the television.

"I... I hate to bring this up now but I just remembered something bad." She said. The guilt was already eating at her. She didn't even know why she was feeling guilty. This was her car and her own problem anyway.

"What's up? Is something wrong?" Asked Rachael, suddenly worried. Yoosung turned to look at MC from her side. He hoped nothing else was seriously wrong.

"My... my car's still in the parking lot." She admitted. Rachael looked confused for a moment before Yoosung gasped, spooking her a little.

"It's still back at the apartment?" He asked. His eyebrows scrunched together in worry. That wasn't good. She had been evicted quite a few days prior. What if the car was gone by now?

MC nodded her head in response. Rachael about fell out of her chair in surprise. They needed to leave as soon as possible.

"Oh geez, we have to get going like right now." Said Rachael, clumsily tripping over herself as she tried to run towards the door. "MC, I know I'm usually cool about stuff but I don't think I can afford to get your car out of impound so pray it's still there." She warned as they hurried down the hall together.

Her parents may work in a cooperation and be able to pay for most of her things while she was going to school, but there was no way they were going to spend money on someone else. That was the only real reason she had her own job. With the current circumstances however, her extra spending money was about to become quite tight. She may have overdone it with her excitement at having guests at her home. Especially with the cell phone. It wasn't like she could have not gotten one however, her friend needed one.

"I'm so sorry Rachael, it completely slipped my mind. I think my head really is messed up from that night." She said, guilt lacing her words. Rachael turned to point at her.

"Don't say that. MC, nothing's wrong with you so don't start doubting yourself okay?" She said sternly. MC nodded halfheartedly.

"Remember MC, you still have your paycheck so it'll be alright." Said Yoosung reassuringly, a hand on her shoulder as he opened one of the backseat doors for her. "Work covered all of your medical bills so you don't have to worry about anything else. If worst comes to worst you still have a way to get your car back."

MC sighed as she got into the car. He was right. She still had money. Of course, if it did come to it, getting her car out of impound would probably eat her entire paycheck. She was just happy she didn't have bills to pay anymore. At least there wasn't a risk of starving being put at stake.

The apartment complex stood tall and menacing as they entered the parking lot. It felt odd to be in this part of the city again. Everything seemed darker and drearier than MC remembered. She had been in the area for such a long time that she must've gotten used to the atmosphere. A part of her felt happy she was no longer living here.

"MC do you see your car?" Asked Yoosung as he leaned forward between the passenger and driver's seats. He scanned the area as they drove. It had been a few days since he'd been back here and he'd honesty forgotten where the car had been towed to back so long ago.

"No, I don't. Oh no, oh I really hope it's still here." Said MC worriedly. She searched outside of her window, eyes gliding over every car she could see. Her's didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. A loud unexpected shout caused her to jump in panic.

"There it is! MC, look over there!" Called Rachael, pointing frantically in the distance. Her car was parked next to one of the long awnings in the far back end of the lot. MC and Yoosung both let out a happy shout.

"Oh thank goodness!" Breathed MC as Yoosung pulled her into a celebratory hug. At least things hadn't been as bad as she expected them to be. Her hopes were dashed of course as soon as she laid eyes on the small yellow envelope under her windshield wiper. As they exited the car her suspicions were confirmed. She had gotten a parking ticket.

"What does it say?" Asked Yoosung tentatively as MC grabbed the envelope.

"It says I got a ticket for $30 for parking in a residential zone. If we don't move the car they'll be forced to tow it." She said after scanning the ticket a few times over.

"Wow, it's a good thing you remembered MC." Said Yoosung, relieved. He had expected so much worse. "That could have been really bad."

"Okay well, come on then start her up and let's get out of here." Said Rachael, feeling much better about the situation. She was just happy her friend didn't have to deal with an impounded car.

"Um..." Said Yoosung and MC in unison. Rachael looked back at them, her hand on her car's door handle.

"What's wrong now?" She asked before smacking herself in the forehead. "Oh my god the car's dead." She answered for herself. Things apparently weren't going to be as easy for all of them as she thought.

"Okay, here's the deal. MC I hate to do this to you but you and Yoosung need to stay here. Watch the car so nothing happens. I don't want to chance it getting towed while we're gone so I'll just go. I'll be back as fast as I can." Said Rachael as she opened her door. "Also, again I'm super sorry MC, but you're going to have to pay me back for the battery. Money's gonna be tight for me for a bit but I can do this just for the moment."

"Wait, you're going to go buy one while we stay here?" Asked MC. She felt very worried about staying outside for so long while her friend was gone. A protective arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her gently. She turned to see Yoosung holding her close to himself.

"Don't worry MC, I'm staying her with you. I'll make sure nothing happens to you while she's gone. Don't worry. I promise everything will be okay." He said reassuringly. MC looked into his eyes as he spoke so sincerely. He was right, she would be okay. She trusted him.

"Alright but please hurry." She pleaded to Rachael as she moved closer to Yoosung.

"Don't worry love birds I'll be back before you know it. Just don't move okay? And don't let anyone touch your car!" She said before shutting her door.

MC and Yoosung watched as she drove away, leaving them to their own devices. It felt strange to be back outside of this apartment together. So many things had happened to them here. Some good, some bad but still quite a lot.

The couple walked closer to the car, stepping beside it to sit down on top of one of the long parking blocks. It was going to be some time before Rachael made her way back. With the sun so bright in the sky they were lucky to have an awning to shade them from the heat.

"Huh... haven't been here in awhile." Said Yoosung, causally. He looked over to his girlfriend waiting for her response. It seemed that more and more lately he was catching himself studying her face as they talked. The slope of her nose, the curve of her jaw, along with how soft her neck appeared.

He wouldn't deny that he had thought about more than just kissing her lips lately. Of course, he was much too nervous to act on such impulses. Plus, he was better than what Zen expected of him. There was no way he was going to let that narcissist prove him wrong about something like this. He must just be jealous that he had a girlfriend before him.

"Yeah, it has been a bit. I don't really miss it much though." She admitted. Yoosung frowned a bit and she shook her head. "No, I didn't mean it like that. The time with you was probably the most... positive time I've spent here."

"What do you mean?" He asked. "It couldn't have been all bad."

"Oh but it could." She disagreed. "All of the bills I had to pay, all of the stairs I had to climb, all of the times I had to avoid my landlord because of how insane he was and how afraid I always was that he was going to kick me out. It turns out it's not as bad as I thought it would be." She shrugged. Yoosung scooted closer to her unconsciously and looked out to the parking lot where she was staring off to.

"Yeah, okay that does sound pretty bad." He laughed. She couldn't help but snicker with him.

"Yeah, I'm hoping that maybe now that I'm out of here, and... that I'm with you, things will start getting better." She said, looking up to the bright blue sky. Yoosung grabbed her hand gently and laced his fingers with her's.

"Well I'll do my best to make everything as good as it can be." He smiled. Her eyes met his and she smiled back.

"Even with all that's happened you're always so positive through it all. Thank you." Said MC, smiling as her gaze drifted down shyly. A finger tucked underneath her chin, pulling her to look him in the eyes again.

"Of course. I want to keep you happy. Even if things get tough I want you to be able to rely on me for support. Even if I can't do much right now, I want to be someone you can turn to for help." He said seriously. His hand slid softly from her chin to cup her cheek warmly. A blush dusted MC's face as she looked at him adoringly. She could feel the familiar tingle setting in as they stared at one another.

Yoosung's smile widened slightly before he leaned in, pressing his lips to her's for the second time in a sweet, chaste kiss. It felt just as soft as the first time. Though just as before he pulled away after only a moment, looking into her eyes again.

"I love you, MC." He said endearingly as his cheeks darkened.

"I love you too, Yoosung." MC said softly, her eyes smiling along with the rest of her face as she looked at him. Yoosung's grin widened.

Before he knew what was happening he felt her lips on his again, sending a jolt up his spine. He hadn't expected on getting another kiss so soon and almost felt overwhelmed. A sudden shyness overcame him and he felt his face begin to burn as she pressed closer to him, her arms snaking around his neck.

As their lips parted MC opened her eyes slowly to see Yoosung blushing fiercely before her. She hadn't expected to embarrass him with her affection and bit her lip to stifle a giggle. His gaze couldn't meet her own.

"Oh, wow, I didn't know I could do that to you." She laughed softly, eyeing his extra rosy cheeks.

"I-I just didn't expect it, was all." He stuttered. It had taken him enough courage just to kiss her. Why was it so different being on the opposite end?

"Sure," She giggled. A thought crossed her mind and she smirked to herself, burying her face into his neck. Just as she predicted he stiffened up like a board. She had been completely innocent in her gesture but it seemed she was right. He really was shy when it came to receiving affection.

"M-MC we're in public." He hissed, his face practically glowing bright red. The butterflies in his stomach were flapping wildly as he sat still as a statue. Nervousness was pouring through him. He was suddenly very aware of his lower body and yelped, pulling away from her.

"Are you alright?" She asked, wondering if she had hurt him somehow.

"No, I mean yep no I'm fine. Totally fine." He said in a slightly higher voice than usual. The pink stain across his cheeks refused to soften.

MC looked at him suspiciously as he crossed his legs next to her. She wondered if maybe she had been a bit too much for the poor boy. Though, admittedly, she had even surprised herself. It was actually really nice making someone else blush for once.

A buzzing noise caught both of their attention and Yoosung reached for his pocket. This was absolutely perfect timing for him. He breathed a sigh of relief for the distraction from his current problem. Maybe if he focused enough on something else it would go away. He just hoped to whatever god there were that she wouldn't suspect something.

"Who is it?" Asked MC curiously, leaning over him slightly to look at his phone. A notification had appeared for his messenger. She couldn't help herself when it came to things like this. Having a phone that could talk to people for real inside of a game was way too interesting for her to ignore.

"Oh, it's Seven." Said Yoosung. He clicked onto the messages icon in his RFA app to check what he had to say. MC, her curiosity mostly sated, leaned on his shoulder and averted her eyes. Glancing was one thing but she wasn't about to watch over his shoulder as he typed. That would be beyond rude even if he was her boyfriend.

Yoosung smiled at her as she lay her head against his shoulder before looking back to his phone screen. His eyes widened in surprise as the message loaded. He hadn't expected to see such a long message from his friend after not hearing from him very much lately.

"Yoosung! I got good news and bad news! Which one do you want to hear first? I'm going to guess you'd pick the good news so here goes! So I finally did it! I figured out a way to get you back home! Go 707, defender of justice! It was a little complicated and I barely got any work done but I solved it. Mostly. Here's the bad news, it's going to take me a couple weeks before I can get it working so just hang tight okay? Don't go getting yourself killed or anything. I mean it."

"Wait, did you say there's a way for me to come back?"

Yoosung felt as if a weight had been lifted from him. He didn't need to worry about his home life anymore. There really was a way he could get back home again now. He'd be able to see his mother and everyone else again. Things really were going to get better.

MC nuzzled into his shoulder softly, distracting him from his thoughts. But wait, he thought as he looked down at her. What about MC? What was going to happen with her? He definitely couldn't go anywhere without her. She needed him to keep her safe. And he needed her. He loved her.

His hand vibrated again, drawing his attention back to his screen. A new message had appeared below his. Seven sure was fast to respond when he wanted to.

"Yup! I have it all figured out. You'll be back in no time! Well, not exactly because of the weeks of work I have to put into it but still! No worries, I got everything handled."

"Wow Seven that's fantastic! I can't wait to tell MC!"

"Now be careful about that, don't get so excited yet."

Yoosung looked confused. What could possibly be wrong now.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, that's more of the bad news. I really don't know how to tell you this Yoosung but, you might want to get everything wrapped up over there before I send you back here."

Yoosung's face scrunched up as he read his response. What exactly was he trying to say?

"What do you mean wrap up things? I mean, I am helping MC wait for a car battery right now. A lot of bad things have been happening to her lately so I'm protecting her while our friend goes and buys a new battery so we can take her car home."

Seven's response didn't arrive as fast as before. A pit formed in Yoosung's stomach. He hoped nothing was wrong. Finally, after almost a minute of waiting, Seven's response showed up on screen.

"She can't come Yoosung."

Yoosung felt like his heart might stop at those words. His entire body stiffened and he gripped his phone tighter. What did Seven mean she couldn't come? Did he really expect him to go without her? The thought struck him that he didn't even know if she would be willing to go with him at all.

"Seven what are you talking about? I can't come back without her! She's my girlfriend! I can't just leave her!"

"Yoosung... I'm sorry I just, I don't know how to make it work for more than one person. Something bad might happen. She could get hurt. I didn't want to tell you this, trust me, but I don't know what else to say..."

Yoosung felt hot tears sting the corners of his eyes. He couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening. Was he really going to have to choose between staying here with MC or leaving without her?

"Then find a way. I can't leave without her."

"Yoosung, I don't know if I can. Please don't make this harder than it has to be. I'm sorry. I'm so so so sorry. Please believe me."

"Seven, I'm begging you. I can't leave without her. She needs me."

"Yoosung... I..."

"Seven, I love her."

He could feel a tear roll down his face. It was killing him trying to keep himself together as MC sat blissfully unaware of his predicament. He didn't want her to know. She didn't need this added to the rest of what she was going through. He would fix this. He wouldn't leave her. He couldn't.

After a long while a final reply came. Yoosung carefully used his free hand to wipe his face so his vision would clear. A short reply stared him in the face through his still welling tears.

"I'll try..."

A sigh of relief escaped him and MC looked up to see his tear stained face. She immediately felt concern and reached up to him but he brushed it off.

"Are you okay?" She asked, worry clear clouding her expression. He couldn't bear to tell her what he had read. It would kill her inside. This was something he would have to deal with on his own. He wasn't going to make her suffer with him.

"Yeah... Don't worry, I'm fine." He lied.


	13. Chapter 13 Misunderstandings

Chapter 13  
Misunderstandings

It felt as if his stomach was made of lead. A heavy pit lodged itself deep inside him as he sat in MC's passenger seat on the way back to Rachael's. His hand rested longingly on the center console. He wanted nothing more than to grab her hand and hold her close. Time seemed so precious now.

The words echoed in his mind. She can't come. There was no way he could accept this as a possibility. He knew in his heart of hearts that he wouldn't be able to leave without her. His insides felt torn as he thought about his life back home. A feeling of homesickness had started to rise inside him. He missed his friends, he missed playing LOLOL, he missed his family. Even if he hadn't talked to them very much lately he couldn't help but miss them even more. Guilt filled him and he mentally berated himself once again for not talking to his family more.

His eyes drifted back to his girlfriend driving the car. She looked so tired. He had offered to drive her back but, as usual, things just didn't want to work in his favor. His license wasn't entirely valid. Apparently if you had a foreign license you needed an International Driving Permit to be able to drive in America. The inconveniences were just piling up the longer he stayed here. He longed to be home. Though that didn't seem like it was going to happen any time soon.

There was no telling when Seven would get in touch with him again. Yoosung hoped with all of his being that whenever he did it would be with good news. He didn't know if he'd be able to accept anything different. What was he supposed to choose in a situation like this? Logically, he supposed, he should choose to go back home. Emotions didn't always align with what made the most sense, unfortunately.

He felt like he had known MC for so much longer than he really had. It didn't feel nearly like only a few weeks. Something inside of him felt as if he had known her for years. A constant pull seemed to draw him to her. He had never felt something like this before. Sure, back when Rika was alive he had wanted to be around her all of the time too but this was different. This was something on a completely different level. Rika would always have a very dear place in his heart. He loved her, she was his family. But with MC there was just something more that wasn't there like it was with her.

Worry clouded his mind. He didn't want to tell MC about what he knew now. If she thought he might have to leave her she would be devastated. Just remembering how she looked the day he had ran out of her old apartment broke his heart. He didn't want to imagine how she would feel if she thought he was actually leaving her world completely for good. She had been through enough. He wanted to protect her and stand by her. How could he possibly do that if they were entire worlds apart. Where even was the place he came from? If it was a game did it physically exist somewhere? Was it in it's own dimension all by itself? This was making his head hurt.

"Yoosung, are you sure you're okay?" Asked MC as she glanced over to him. Yoosung looked up to see they had stopped at an intersection. He rubbed his eyes before looking away.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. We just have to worry about getting you back home." He insisted, unable to look her in the eyes.

MC looked at him as he faced the window. He had been acting strange ever since they left the parking lot. She couldn't help but wonder if he had had a bad conversation over his phone. Did he hear some bad news? She hoped everything was okay. It wasn't like her to pry, but she was starting to seriously worry. Usually Yoosung was more cheerful around her. Something seemed off about him and it was killing her not to know what it was.

Maybe she had done something to upset him? Had she been too much before? She flushed to herself as the light turned green, stepping down on the gas gently. Maybe she really had been too much. She had never been in a relationship before so she wasn't sure how to act. Did she embarrass him? He never stiffened up quite like he did before so that was always a possibility. Maybe she should lay off of the affection for now. She had been starting to feel much more comfortable being more intimate with him lately but perhaps those feelings weren't mutual. Her heart sank at the thought. Maybe he didn't like her as much as she thought he did.

MC pulled the car into the driveway behind Rachael and looked back to Yoosung who was already unbuckling his seat belt. He seemed pretty eager to get out of the car. She mentally sighed and undid her's as well, exiting the vehicle. Depression bubbled up inside her as she walked towards the front door.

"Hey MC, you feeling okay?" Asked Rachael as they all made their way inside. Yoosung had headed straight to the bathroom as soon as they stepped into the house. Both MC and Rachael stood in the living room, winding down from the sudden trip.

"I'm not sure." She admitted. "I think something's wrong with Yoosung..."

"Yeah, he did head to the bathroom pretty fast. He's a guy though, he probably just had to go super bad or something. I'm sure he can handle it." Rachael assured her. MC shook her head.

"No, not that. After you left the parking lot I think I may have upset him or something. He was really quiet on the way back." MC explained softly.

"What could you have possibly done to that boy that he'd be upset at you for? I've never seen anyone more in puppy love than you two. I'm sure whatever happened, it's fine." Said Rachael, giving her a pat on the head. MC pouted at her, pushing her arm away.

"Are you sure? He really looked like something was bothering him..." MC persisted.

"If it's bothering you that much I could try to weasel something out of him if you want." Offered Rachael.

"Well I don't want you to bother him either." Said MC.

"Sweetie, you can't have both." Laughed Rachael. "If you want me to talk to him I can talk to him. I could do it after dinner later."

MC's eyebrows scrunched together in thought. She didn't want to bother him when he already seemed bothered as it was but she wanted to know if something was wrong. There was no guarantee he would even admit anything to Rachael anyway. She couldn't deny it was worth a shot, however.

"Okay, but don't be mean to him. Okay Rachael?" Asked MC.

"Since when am I ever mean?" Said Rachael with mock surprise, her hand pressed to her chest for emphasis. MC let out a small laugh.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, MC. I promise I'm not going to bite the guy's head off or anything." Promised Rachael.

"How considerate of you.'" Laughed MC.

Yoosung sat on the bathroom floor as he stared at his phone. A wave of nausea had suddenly overtaken him and he had panicked. His nerves were fried. It wasn't like him to completely bypass MC like he had but he wasn't sure he was going to be able to hold it in. His stomach tightened as he leaned against the bathroom door. There was much too much stress building inside of him.

He didn't know how it was possible to both want to smother someone while also keeping them an arm's length away. His body craved the comfort of his partner but his mind knew if she so much as touched him he might shatter. Of course his situation wouldn't be able to last. There was no way he would be able to stay here happily forever. Though going back home without his heart might actually kill him. Either way he would become unhappy. There wasn't any way to win.

He hated lying to MC but he didn't see any other way around it. Her feelings were more important than his own. If he needed to sacrifice his peace of mind for her's he would gladly concede. He could never intentionally cause her any harm. Even if it meant keeping this from her. He would deal with it alone.

A knock jolted him from his thoughts and he scrambled as quietly as he could away from the door. He hadn't expected anyone to try to come into the bathroom so soon after he had gotten into it. His heart pounded in his chest as the anxiety hit him again.

"Yoosung, are you alright in there buddy?" Called Rachael. Of course it would be her. He didn't really expect MC to try barging into the room like her friend.

"Yeah!" He called, mentally sweating. "I'll be out in a minute." His heart pounded against his ribs. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? It was almost as if he felt guilty or something.

"Alright, just checking. If you're feeling sick I have medicine inside the cabinet in there. Help yourself!" She called again from behind the door. "I'm about to start making dinner, should be ready in about an hour or so."

"Okay, thank you." Said Yoosung, grabbing some toilet paper noisily for show. With bated breath he waited as her footsteps trailed away from the door. He let out a relieved sigh once she was out of earshot. His stomach groaned. Nothing seemed to be sitting right with him today.

After using the bathroom for its proper purpose, Yoosung made his way to the living room. MC was watching T.V from the chair in the corner. His stomach lurched unpleasantly when his eyes spotted her. The anxiety was building again.

Settling himself onto the couch he let his eyes drift to her again. She hadn't said a word since he had entered the room. He wondered if she even knew he was there. It wasn't like her to sit in the chair so far away. As much as he was afraid of what physical contact might cause him he felt sad not having her cuddled up next to him. Was she upset at him?

"What are you watching...?" He asked curiously. Some kind of drama was playing on the screen. It seemed somewhat familiar.

"Scarlet Heart." MC answered simply. She still felt uneasy about getting too close to him. The only reason she even chose to sit in the chair was to avoid making him uncomfortable. It felt strange not sitting next to him.

"Oh, I think I heard of that. You like this show? It didn't do too well back home." He said casually. Maybe if he spoke as if nothing was wrong then he wouldn't make her more upset than he thought she already was.

MC looked back at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the screen. She couldn't tell if he was just making conversation or if that was some kind of negative remark about the show. Did she make him so uncomfortable that he felt on edge because of her? She sank into the chair slightly.

"Yeah I uh, I heard about all that. I still think it's a good show." She said, a little more defensively than she meant to.

They both sat in silent misunderstanding. Neither one was quite sure what the other was feeling and it was causing quite the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room. Yoosung shifted on the couch, his mind still racing as MC sank deeper into her chair.

A small vibration tickled Yoosung's leg and he looked down at his pocket. Pulling his phone out he saw a new message from Zen blinking on his screen. Maybe talking with one of his friends would help calm his nerves. Zen might know better what he should do than himself. As long as he didn't reveal too much about his situation it would be fine right? He glanced over at MC. Her eyes were trained on the T.V, completely absorbed. It would probably be best to leave her alone for right now. With her watching her show it wouldn't be rude to text for a little while.

"Hey, Yoosung! Haven't heard from you in awhile. Seven mentioned you were coming back home in a couple of weeks so I thought I'd come bug you about getting me a souvenir."

"Hi, Zen. Sorry about not responding. Things are still kind of shaky here. I'm not sure what's going to happen honestly and it's making me nervous..."

"Why, what's up? Everything okay with you and your lady?"

Yoosung sighed from the couch and his eyes flickered back up again. MC still wasn't paying him any mind. The noise from the television and a soft sizzling filled the otherwise silent room. He looked back down to his screen.

"Actually, I needed to talk to you about something to do with that."

"Whoa whoa, you didn't do anything to her did you? I told you to be careful of yourself."

"No it's nothing like that, I just have a problem is all and I wanted some advice."

"Is being stuck in a house with two girls really getting to you that badly?"

"No! Zen, please listen I'm being serious! This is actually a really big problem and I've been freaking out all day about it. I need your help."

"Alright, what's going on then?"

"What... what would you do if you had to pick between the person you loved, and your friends and family?"

"? Yoosung where is that coming from all of a sudden?"

"What would you do? Would you choose to stay with the person you loved and never be able to see your friends and family again, or would you choose to leave them and break their heart along with yours? I don't know what to do. I feel so stuck."

"Wait, are you trying to ask me whether or not you should stay in America with your girlfriend? Yoosung, I don't think I can answer something like that for you. That's a really big deal. How long have you even known this girl? Didn't you guys just start going out?"

Yoosung closed his eyes and gripped his phone tighter. He knew he hadn't been with her for very long, but so much had happened between them that he couldn't just brush it off as nothing. Plus, he couldn't deny the magnetic pull that seemed to attract them together. Even if she was halfway across the room from him her presence still overpowered his senses. He wondered if she felt the same about him. Sometimes he wondered if his emotions were working faster than they were supposed to.

"Yes, but it's not as simple as that... I've never felt this way about someone before. I don't want to leave her."

"Well, do you feel strongly enough that you would give up everything else for her? It's not my place to tell you what to do with your life, but this is a big decision to make. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I know..."

"Why doesn't she come with you?"

Yoosung frowned at his friend's reply. That was the exact dilemma he was facing right now. He wanted that more than anything.

"She can't..."

"Does she want to?"

Yoosung bit his lip nervously. How was he going to respond to something like that. He wasn't even sure if she would want to or not. Was there even a chance she would be willing to completely let go of the world she had known for so long just for him? He felt selfish even considering it.

"I don't know... but I know she couldn't even if she wanted to."

"Nonsense. If you guys are as serious as you make it out to be then you can find a way to make this work too. I may not like the fact that you got a girlfriend before me but that doesn't mean I want you to lose her either. If you love her you need to do whatever it takes to keep her and make her happy."

Yoosung stared at Zen's reply. He wished it was as simple as his friend made it seem but he knew the truth. There was some truth to what he said though. Yoosung did love her, and he knew he never wanted to let her go. He would have to find a way to make this work.

He thanked Zen for his advice and said his goodbyes for now before locking his phone. This was something he was going to have to fix himself it seemed. Zen was right. If he loved her then there was no other option than to stay with her. He would have hope that Seven would be able to bring them both back. But first, he needed to talk to MC about it.

Before he could get the words out however, Rachael called from the kitchen. Dinner was ready a bit earlier than she had initially planned apparently. His talk would have to wait until after dinner it seemed. He just hoped he still had the courage to go through with it when the time came.

Dinner was much quieter than usual for the three of them. MC caught herself picking at her food more than eating it while Yoosung had barely touched his at all. Rachael would normally have felt mildly offended if it weren't for her and MC's earlier conversation. Something really must be bothering the two of them.

"What's the matter? Stir fry not really your guys' thing?" Rachael asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"What? Oh, no Rachael it's fine. I'm just not that hungry right now." Admitted MC. "I think I actually want to go lay down."

Yoosung looked up from his plate in worry. He'd need to follow after her if he was going to get a chance to talk with her. With her current mood he just hoped he wouldn't be bothering her. What he needed to ask was pretty big and he didn't even know if it was possible at this point but Zen had been right. He needed to figure this out. Hiding things from her wasn't going to help him.

"Oh, that's okay MC I'll put your food away for you. You go lay down, you've had a rough day as it is." Said Rachael soothingly, standing up and grabbing her plate for her. MC thanked her and started to leave.

"Um, MC-" started Yoosung.

"Yoosung, I need to talk to you so don't you go anywhere yet." Said Rachael, looking behind herself as she grabbed a container from the cupboard. MC was already out of the room by the time she finished. Yoosung could only hope that she wouldn't be asleep by the time he got up to their room.

"Yes?" He asked distracted, his mind preoccupied with other things.

Rachael walked back to the table, grabbing his plate as well. He didn't protest as he knew he wasn't going to be able to eat much more as it was. She seemed to notice this as well since she started putting his food away along with MC's.

"Everything alright between you and MC? She seemed pretty worried earlier." Said Rachael nonchalantly. Yoosung froze slightly. This wasn't something he really wanted to talk with Rachael about right now.

"What?" He asked, thinking back. "I noticed she seemed upset with me but I wasn't sure why..." He admitted after a moment.

"That's funny because she seems to think you're the one who's upset with her." Said Rachael, shaking her head. She knew it was going to end up being something like this. Those two really needed to stop working themselves up over nothing.

Yoosung's eyes widened. MC thought he was upset with her? No no no, he could never be! He needed to go fix this right now!

"No, I couldn't never be upset at her! I thought maybe I did something wrong and she didn't want to talk to me. I need to go fix this, I'm sorry excuse me." He said hurriedly as he stood up from his seat. Rachael waved him off as she rinsed off the dishes carefully.

He didn't think he'd ever climbed a set of stairs faster than that particular set. Had MC really just been sad this entire time? He felt absolutely awful for making her feel that way. This was the exact opposite of what he wanted to do.

As he opened the door he saw MC lying on the bed above the covers. She turned to look at him in surprise before rolling over slightly. Her face turned away from him.

"MC, I need to talk to you! I didn't mean to make you upset, I'm so sorry!" He said, practically scrambling onto the bed. She scooted up against the wall in surprise. Yoosung sat before her as she pulled herself up, leaning against the wall. He looked absolutely anguished. Before she knew it she found herself trapped in his embrace, pressed close against his chest.

"Y-yoosung!" She gasped before he pulled away, kissing the top of her forehead.

"I'm sorry." He insisted. "I didn't want to tell you what happened because I didn't want you to worry."

MC was very confused. Her cheeks flushed at the sudden rush of affection and her gaze shifted away. What on earth was going on? So he wasn't upset with her? She felt relieved. But what exactly was he talking about?

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking back up at him curiously." Yoosung's lips thinned as his features pulled taut with worry.

"It's... I don't know exactly how to tell you." He admitted. MC cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Does this have to do with why you looked like you were crying back in the parking lot?" She asked hesitantly. Yoosung's head drooped slightly with guilt. "What's wrong?"

"Seven... ended up contacting me." He said slowly. It was hard finding the right words for what he needed to say. He'd never felt so tongue tied.

"Really? What happened, what did he say?" Asked MC.

"He told me... He told me he found a way for me to come back home." Said Yoosung, avoiding her eyes. MC gasped loudly.

"Are you serious? You can go back home? That's amazing!" She exclaimed. After a moment the atmosphere hit her and she felt uneasy. "Why... why is that upsetting for you?"

"Because... He told me it would only work for me." He said quietly. His heart ached just thinking about it. "He told me... that I couldn't bring you with me."

"What?" Said MC incredulously. She was shocked. It never occurred to her that he might ever go back from where he came from, but the fact that he could leave without her made her insides burn.

"B-but I told him I couldn't do it!" He insisted, looking her straight in the eyes. "I... I don't even know if you'd want to come with me. I don't know if you, if you really feel as strongly for me as I do for you. And I know it's probably weird but I feel like I've known you for such a long time and I don't want to ever leave you. I love you, MC. You mean the world to me and I don't want to be in a world where you're not in it."

MC flushed from his very forward profession of his feelings. They hadn't bothered her at all though, in fact, she could say she felt the same way about him.

"I... I love you too Yoosung. I feel the same way about you." She said, her cheeks as red as his as they sat together on top of the bed. "I don't want to ever be without you."

Tears pricked at Yoosung's eyes as she spoke to him. He had never felt so sad and elated all at the same time. His arms wrapped around her again, holding her tightly. He felt her arms wrap snugly around him as well. The amount of discomfort he had just been feeling seemed to melt away instantly at her touch. If this was what it meant to be in love he never wanted it to go away.

"If... if I could, I would go with you." She said quietly, her words muffled into his chest. His heart rate picked up as he felt her arms tighten around him.

"Are you sure? You'd be willing to do something like that... for me?" He asked seriously. He didn't know if he could believe the words going through his ears.

"You said so yourself... I don't ever want to be without you either. If you're willing to stay here with me over something like that... then... I would be willing to go there with you... I love you, Yoosung." She said, speaking from her heart. She wasn't sure if it was possible for two people to be any closer together than they already were but she wanted nothing more than to hug him closer to her entire being.

Her feelings from before felt silly. How could she have ever thought he wouldn't feel the same way about her as she did for him? If anything, his feelings for her far surpassed anything she could ever have dreamed of. She wished she could stay like this forever. Pangs of conscience pulled at her insides as they held each other on that bed. If they really couldn't go there together, could she really let him sacrifice his entire life just to stay here with her?


	14. Chapter 14 Introductions

Chapter 14  
Introductions

The knowledge that Yoosung was actively choosing to stay with her rather than return to his own life weighed heavily on MC over the next week. She couldn't help but feel like she was tearing him away from everything important to him just to keep him by her side. Though he insisted it's what he wanted to do she still sensed a sadness within him. He must miss his home and everyone back with it. It couldn't be enough just having her alone.

On the other hand, she couldn't deny that she adored having him here with her. A selfish part of her craved his presence, refusing to let go. Though her heart bore guilt at the thought of keeping him all to herself. Even if things seemed to be doing well she just couldn't shake the thought that what they were doing was wrong. Was it really alright for them to stay together like this?

As the days rolled by, waking up next to him each morning and falling asleep beside him each night, her attachment only grew stronger. The part of her that felt guilty for having him stay with her had started to dissipate. However, even when she thought the feeling was gone for good, a small pit would form in her stomach. It seemed like the guilt would never truly leave.

With so much free time from the absence of work they found themselves sitting around at home a lot more often. Rachael, oddly enough, seemed to be out of the house more and more lately. Without a job to go to she seemed to have taken back up her interest in actually going to her classes. Though what those classes might be, MC wasn't exactly sure. Usually Rachael would do her work in her room on her laptop so MC had never seen her actually doing any classwork. She never really felt the need to ask. Rachael always seemed to get testy whenever the topic was brought up so it was usually best to avoid the subject whenever possible.

Having Rachael out of the house so often wasn't exactly a bad thing. Time and time again Yoosung and MC had found themselves lounging out on the couch, lying against one another. It had been getting gradually harder for them to keep apart for any period of time. Whether it was simple hand holding or something more intimate as laying across the other's lap they were almost always in physical contact with one another.

MC had been feeling braver lately in her newfound relationship. Once she had figured out it was not, in fact, her forwardness that had been bothering Yoosung she had felt much more comfortable delving into her random urges. A kiss here, a hug there, anything that popped into her head. Well... maybe not everything.

As they lay on the couch once again on that Friday night she found her thoughts drifting once more. They weren't intentional, but she couldn't seem to stop them from coming. The blush on his face from their last kiss was fresh in her mind as she nuzzled against his chest. They were currently watching a movie together, though she was only half paying attention. It's not like she wasn't trying. She blamed him for being so captivating.

The feel of his lips against her's replayed over and over in her mind. A warm and fuzzy feeling took root inside of her as she let her imagination wander. She wondered what might happen if she were to try something more than a simple kiss on the lips. He reacted so strongly every time she initiated any sort of affection towards him that she couldn't help but imagine what he would do if she tried something more.

There had been a few times she hadn't been able to resist his blushing face and had indulged in one of her more simpler fantasies. He hadn't taken too kindly to her pinching at his cheeks. Though, embarrassed as he was, he wasn't about to stop her. Yoosung had to admit he didn't think he'd really stop her from doing anything to him, in fact.

He was enjoying her constant showering of attention lately. Even if she made him feel like he might burst into flames with every new kiss she planted on him he couldn't deny that he loved every second of it. He never dreamed he would ever have someone so infatuated with him. After wanting a girlfriend for such a long time this was pure bliss. The only thing he wished he could change was how shy she made him feel. It felt like he was under her thumb and there was nothing he could do about it. Of course, it wasn't always a bad thing.

MC found herself glancing up at him every so often as they laid on the couch together. Her eyes traced over his nose and down to his jawline. She wondered what it might be like to kiss him there. Or maybe down a little further. Her eyes drifted down to his neck, mere inches away from her face. The urge to move closer was almost too much to bear.

Yoosung felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and he looked down to see his girlfriend eyeing him, almost possessively. He had to fight a shudder as heat flooded into his cheeks. Why did she always do this to him?

"Um, MC?" He asked. Her eyes flickered up to meet his and she smiled, caught in the act.

"Yes?" MC asked innocently. She wondered how long he had known she was staring at him.

"What are you doing?" Yoosung asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She blushed lightly and giggled.

"Nothing. What are you doing?" She answered playfully.

"MC!" He laughed.

"Alright, alright." MC giggled before her cheeks darkened. "I was thinking about kissing you again."

Yoosung flushed. She had been awfully touchy the last couple of days. He didn't even know why he had asked. Did he really expect a different answer the tenth or so time around? Though the feeling he got inside every time she said it hadn't dulled in the slightest. He wasn't used to someone being so forward with their affection for him. Much less someone he was madly in love with.

"O-oh." He sputtered, his eyes shifting nervously. It wasn't as if he wasn't constantly thinking about the same things as her. He loved every moment they shared together. Especially ones that involved their lips being locked. It had been easier when she had been the shy one but ever since that day in the parking lot things seemed to have taken a twist. He felt like he should be bothered by the situation at least a little but something inside him almost seemed to like it more than before.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't exactly mind... if you did." Said Yoosung, his eyes flickering back to her again. The smile on her face widened as she reached up to him. She pursed her lips and pecked him lightly on the cheek. His lips tightened before pulling into a smile. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer to him.

"I love you." He said after burying his face into the crook of her neck. MC nuzzled into his as well and hugged him tightly.

"I love you too." She mumbled back to him, her face pressed against him. A soft and sweet smell filled her nose as she buried herself further into his neck. He always smelled so nice up close like this.

Taking a deep breath of his scent, she felt her mouth water. Before she could stop herself her lips had found their way under his jaw. His body stiffened as she kissed him without warning. Blood rushed into his face and his grip around her tightened.

"Wh-what are you doing?" He said shakily. A pulse radiated inside of him as she kissed him again in the same spot as before. His throat clenched.

"Kissing you." She said simply. Seeing as he wasn't going to protest she didn't see the harm in continuing. His skin was so soft against her lips that she just couldn't help herself. She placed a kiss experimentally to his neck a little further down. A small noise of distress met her ears and she turned to look at her boyfriend in surprise.

His mouth was pulled tightly into a thin line with the rest of his face resembling the skin of a tomato. She felt herself blush. Had she made him make that noise?

"Did you just?" She asked hesitantly. His cheeks deepened in color as he averted her gaze, all but closing his eyes. She could feel him almost trembling underneath her.

"I-I didn't mean to, it just slipped out." He insisted, voice cracking in the middle of his sentence. Her eyes widened at his admission. She had never seen him look so embarrassed. It was... absolutely adorable.

"You're so cute." She said endearingly. His eyes scrunched tightly as he turned his face from her's. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs as she lied on top of him. It almost felt as if she were pinning him down. Another rush of red flushed through him. Was it getting hotter in here?

"You know..." He forced out. "Usually... when a girl calls a guy cute they don't really like it that much. But... I... I feel really good when you say it."

MC's brows raised. His words had sent a tingle down her spine. A fog fell down over her mind as she leaned in closer, kissing him sweetly on his blushing cheek. A surge of courage swelled in her chest.

"Well I think you're really cute. Especially right now." She said, amazed at her own bluntness. He shivered beneath her and swallowed thickly.

"I..." he started before a pair of lips captured his own. Without much coaxing needed he let his eyes fall shut, completely surrendering. His arms wrapped around her as her hands slid up to cup his cheeks. They had melted into their own little world.

The sound of a door slamming closed jarred them both from their passionate embrace. MC scrambled off of her boyfriend and sat up on the couch leaving Yoosung disheveled on his back. His face still glowed a light pink as their housemate strolled into the living room.

"Hi Rachael!" Squeaked MC. She mentally cursed and cleared her throat before speaking again. "How're you?"

Rachael plopped down onto the couch before turning to face them. She stared at Yoosung for a moment, amused as he straightened himself up.

"Obviously not as well as you guys." She laughed. Her face settled into a more serious expression. "And honestly? Not really that great. I'm thinking of changing my major."

MC was shocked. It was a rare occurrence that Rachael chose to talk about school. She couldn't remember the last time she voluntarily brought it up in conversation.

"Oh?" She said hesitantly, not sure how to react.

"What are you changing it from?" Asked Yoosung naively earning a forceful nudge from MC. He gave her a confused look.

"Doesn't matter. It was stupid. I really need to talk to my folks about getting it switched..." She answered in annoyance, mostly to herself. "I've decided I want to study culinary arts. I want to go into cooking."

"Really? That's a great idea!" Said Yoosung with a smile. "The food you make always tastes amazing, I bet you'd do great."

"Yeah, that's even if I can get into it though. My parents are really adamant on me 'following in their footsteps'." Said Rachael, making sarcastic air quotes.

"Do they still want you to work with them in the cooperation?" Asked MC. Rachael's disgusted face was more than enough for an answer.

"Ugh, yeah. I just can't do that kind of stuff. It's too serious. No ideas allowed." Said Rachael. She stuck her tongue out in distaste.

"That sounds like the job Jumin wanted to give me back home." Said Yoosung thoughtfully.

"Jumin?" Asked Rachael. That name sounded awfully familiar but she couldn't quite place it. Had he mentioned him before?

"Oh! Uh, yeah he's a friend of mine. He works in a cooperation too... sort of." He said, not wanting to give away the details. The look on MC's face warned that it might be a bad idea.

"Oh, okay. Well trust me, don't take it. They'll run you ragged." Said Rachael shaking her head. Yoosung couldn't help but picture Jaehee. Guilt stung at him. He really wished he was able to talk to everyone more. This was something he would just have to get used to unfortunately. If he was going to be staying with MC then things weren't going to change anytime soon.

"Yoosung, maybe you should try to apply to a college near here." Suggested MC. "Maybe you could continue your studies here? I'm sure, if you wanted to I mean, you could find a veterinary school somewhere near here.

"Whoa you want to be a vet?" Asked Rachael. "That's cool. I love animals."

"Well... I'm not sure." He admitted. "I wanted to but things got a little... out of hand. You know, I'm actually surprised. I don't think I've stayed off of a computer as long as I have since I've been here." He looked almost proud of himself. It was true he desperately missed LOLOL but there was no use complaining when it was a physical impossibility for him to play again. His insides ached. Oh how he missed playing.

"You should totally do it." Encouraged Rachael. "I'm sure you could get a loan around here to go."

MC's eyes widened. A sudden influx of realizations ran through here. There was no way he would able to do something like that. In the law's eyes he wasn't even a legal citizen. He couldn't drive, he didn't even have a passport or an American I.D. or even a real birth certificate. The only reason he had been able to get his job at the restaurant was pure luck. Her recommendation was all her boss had relied on. It was amazing things had gone so smoothly.

"Maybe," said Yoosung. "I'm not sure for right now."

"Ah that's fine, as long as we can all get back to doing our jobs soon it doesn't matter. I was going to go back in tomorrow to talk to Paul about it." Said Rachael. "Oh, by the way, MC were you going to visit them again tomorrow? I could drop you off if you wanted. It would save on gas."

"I actually almost forgot! Thank you Rachael. Yes please, I'd be really grateful if you could." Said MC with a smile. "Maybe we could pick up some flowers on the way?"

Yoosung looked at MC in confusion. What did she need flowers for to go visit someone? He couldn't help feeling suspicious for a moment.

"Yeah, that's no problem at all. I'm sure they'd like that." Answered Rachael.

"Thank you. Oh, Yoosung," said MC noticing her boyfriend's curious expression. "Would you like to come with me tomorrow? I want you to meet them."

"Meet who?" Asked Yoosung.

"My parents. They're up at Spring Grove cemetery." She said simply. Even behind her smile a small hint of sadness glinted in her eyes. Yoosung immediately regretted his suspicions. How could he have gotten jealous over something like that. He felt terrible.

"Oh... wow, yes. I'd love to meet them." He said softly. He felt her hand slip onto his. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Yoosung awoke in a much different position than he was used to. A pair of arms had wrapped themselves around his head and upper back and he found his face pressed against something very soft and warm. Upon further inspection he realized he had somehow cuddled up to MC's chest in his sleep. He flushed deep crimson as his breath caught in his throat. A gentle thumping graced his ears as her heart beat close to him.

After the initial shock he relaxed gradually, though not entirely. He couldn't pull away even if he wanted to for fear of waking her up. It was insanely embarrassing for him to be in this position. Of course, part of him was absolutely thrilled. He had no idea that they would be so comfortable. If only he could lay his head here without fearing he was going too far. In fact, this was the first time he had ever really heard her heart beat. It was such a relaxing sound.

The situation didn't last very long, unfortunately, for within moments of his waking MC started to stretch and lean away from him. Completely unaware of her position only seconds prior, she yawned and opened her eyes. She smiled as her gaze met the warm eyes of her boyfriend's. He looked oddly flustered for having just woken up.

The morning passed like clockwork. Every day seemed to have the same pattern as the last and it was easy to get into a routine. Rachael insisted on making breakfast, and as usual it was delicious, next came taking showers one at a time. Yoosung more than once had to shake the idea of sharing a shower together from his mind. He shouldn't be having thoughts like those so early on. Was it normal to think of things like that the way he did? He hoped if MC knew she wouldn't be upset with him. It wasn't as if he wasn't trying to control himself.

"You sure you'll be able to walk home okay?" Asked Rachael as she grabbed her keys. It was time for them to head out if she was going to drop them off on her way to work. It wasn't too out of the way but she still had to make sure. The walk home was definitely a longer one. With it being such a nice day out though it wouldn't be too much of a hazard for once.

"Yeah, Yoosung will be with me so we'll be safe. I know he'll protect me." Said MC with a smile. Yoosung beamed and puffed out his chest. He felt proud to hear her say that about him. He may like her calling him cute sometimes but that didn't mean he didn't want to feel manly too. It felt nice to have someone to protect.

"Alright, well I'm leaving her in your hands once I drop you off. If anything happens to her-" Rachael ended her sentence with a finger cutting across her throat exaggeratedly. "So make sure she stays safe."

"Don't worry. I won't let her our of my sight. Come on MC, let's get in the car so we can get going. Don't we still have to get some flowers on the way?" He asked as they walked out of the front door. MC nodded, making her way to the back doors of Rachael's car. Yoosung jogged to catch up to her, reaching for her handle to open the door for her. He smiled as she thanked him before slipping into the car along with her.

"Alright, so do you want me to drop you off down the block by Petal Shop?" Asked Rachael as she drove along, glancing in her rear view at her friends. She figured it would be easier to just drop them off near the flower shop close by to save time.

"Yeah, that would be fine." Agreed MC, leaning her head on Yoosung's shoulder. Anxiety bubbled softly inside her. She always made it a point to visit her parents every couple of months at the very least. It never got any easier.

"What kind of flowers are you going to get?" Asked Yoosung. He let his arm drape around her shoulder, pulling her into him.

"White orchids. I get them every time." She answered. It seemed most appropriate to get flowers that spoke of how much she longed to see them again. She would never stop missing them.

After Rachael dropped them off in the parking lot MC and Yoosung made their way into the tiny colorful shop. A fresh floral scent graced them as they stepped through the door. A gentle chime twinkled above them, signaling their arrival.

"Welcome~! Oh, MC is that you? Long time no see." Said a soft looking lady from across the shop. She was busy watering a batch of tulips. "Here for the same as usual, I take it?"

"Yes Christine. I need another bouquet of white orchids please." Said MC quietly. With such a serene atmosphere she didn't need to be very loud for her voice to travel.

"No problem, no problem at all. And who is this? I haven't seen him before." She commented, gesturing to Yoosung as she walked over to prepare the flowers. A light pink bloomed on MC's face as she scooted closer to him.

"Hello, my name's Yoosung Kim. I'm MC's boyfriend. It's very nice to meet you." Said Yoosung, introducing himself happily. It felt so good to tell someone about his relationship. He felt proud.

"Oh, wow! Well aren't you a dear?" Chuckled Christine as she wrapped up the orchids, bringing them over to the counter. "Well congratulations you two. It's nice to see MC found herself such a polite and charming young man. Well, I'm Christine. Lovely to meet you as well Yoosung. Is that Chinese perhaps?"

"Actually it's Korean. South Korean." Corrected Yoosung.

"Well isn't that interesting!" Christine smiled. MC flushed deeper and smiled.

"We've been dating for a few weeks now, actually." Said MC shyly.

"Ah, new love. How darling. I take it things are going well?" Asked Christine. MC nodded and gave her a smile.

"Yes. We're going to introduce him to my parents today." Said MC.

"So sweet. Well, I bet they would love him. He seems wonderful to me. Here, why don't you take these on the house. No charge. As a congratulations to you and your new love. I never thought I'd get to see the day." Smiled Christine, offering her the flowers.

"Oh! Oh no, I couldn't possibly-"

"I insist. Don't worry. After all, a few are from me as well. Make sure to tell your folks hello for me, alright?" Christine insisted. MC took a deep breath before accepting the present.

"I always do." She smiled.

"That's a good girl. Alright, off with you. You've got places to be and sights to see." Chuckled Christine. Yoosung and MC thanked her for her kindness and headed out the door.

"You seemed to know her really well. Was she a friend of your parents'?" Asked Yoosung as they walked in sync, hand in hand to the cemetery.

"Yeah. Her and my mom went way back. I always stop in there to see her before I visit. It's nice to catch up sometimes." Said MC, giving his hand a squeeze. Yoosung nodded in agreement before training his eyes forward. A large silver gate greeted them up ahead. The words "Spring Grove Cemetery" shined brightly, carved into the metal.

As they passed the gate doors a somber atmosphere overtook them. The air seemed quieter here as they walked along the path. Countless headstones adorned with flowers were scattered about the land. Another squeeze to his hand brought him to his senses and he looked to his girlfriend. He'd never seen her look so solemn before.

Eventually MC led him to a pair of conjoined headstones spread out away from the rest. They would've seemed almost lonely being so far from the path if it weren't for the fact they were so intertwined with one another. A wreath of roses adorned them along with a few smaller flowers scattered about the bottom of the stones.

"Hi mom... Hi dad." Said MC softly, kneeling down onto her knees as she placed the bouquet atop the earth before the stones. "It's been so long since I've seen you guys, I'm sorry."

Yoosung watched as she sat on the grass, talking with her parents. His throat tightened and he found himself sitting beside her, a hand placed onto her back comfortingly. MC looked at him, tears filling the corners of her eyes. She smiled softly.

"Oh, mom, dad, I almost forgot. I wanted you to meet someone." She said, facing the stones again. "This is my boyfriend, Yoosung. He's the first one I've ever had... and I know you would've loved him. He's very nice to me and treats me well. I know he's not a millionaire or anything like you wanted me to have but I hope he'll be good enough in your eyes. I really... really like him." MC paused, wiping her eyes.

"I just... I wish you could've been here to see this. I miss you guys so much..." She sniffled. Yoosung pulled her closer as her shoulders shook. It didn't matter how many times she came down here, she couldn't help but burst into tears just thinking about how much she missed her parents. It just wasn't fair.

Yoosung pulled her into chest and rubbed her back. He could feel in his heart how sad she must be. It hurt him knowing there was nothing he could do to lessen her pain. He knew all too well how much it must hurt. All he could do was be there for her.

"It's... nice to meet you." Said Yoosung softly after a moment as he held MC close to his heart. She looked up at him through teary eyes. "I've heard a lot about you from MC... and I have to say it's an honor to finally meet you. I hope... I hope you'll give me your blessings to date your daughter. I don't have much to offer, like she said, I'm not rich. But, what I can promise is that I'll make it my life's mission to make her the happiest woman in the whole world."

MC's heart swelled to hear him say those words. She had never heard something so sweet. Then, through the silence, a breeze blew around them softly, caressing her face as Yoosung held her close on those cemetery grounds. She could only take that as her parents' approval. A smile melted onto her lips as fresh tears pooled in her eyes.

"I think they like you..." She grinned.


	15. Chapter 15 Shelter

Chapter 15  
Shelter

"You sure you're ready?" Asked Yoosung as they buckled themselves into MC's car.

MC nodded, gripping the steering wheel. She needed to conquer her fear. No more worrying about the past. It was time to move forward.

After they had made their way back home from the cemetery the previous day MC had gotten a phone call from Rachael. She had been successful talking to their manager and they were due to report back to work the next day. Rachael had stayed to start back up immediately, not joining them at home until quite a few hours later. It turns out the restaurant had been struggling since their temporary removal. The manager was beyond eager to have them come back. MC only hoped she would be okay this time around. She didn't want to cause another incident.

MC took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself. He wasn't going to come back. That day had probably just been a hallucination. There wasn't anything to prove she had really seen him that day. She just needed to stop worrying about it and things would be okay. Besides, at least this time she wasn't alone. She looked over to see Yoosung give her a reassuring smile. Things would be okay.

The moment they walked into the restaurant all of the workers' eyes landed on them. It was hard to gauge the overall atmosphere and MC began to feel rather uncomfortable. A hand rested on her shoulder.

"If you don't think you can do it we can always leave." Said Yoosung softly, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "You don't have to make yourself."

MC shook her head. No, this was something she had to make herself do. This was the only job she'd ever had and she was already on thin ice as it was. She knew it wasn't exactly her fault. Though that didn't mean she wasn't afraid of losing her job because of her anxieties. She would just have to suck it up and ignore it.

As they moved to the computers the back of MC's neck prickled. She spun around, heart pounding. Why did she always feel like she was being watched lately? Was it still her mind playing tricks on her? Her face scrunched as she shoved the thought to the back of her mind. No. There was no one there. Nothing was going to happen. Stop it.

Yoosung frowned at her with concern. He had dearly hoped she would choose to stay home instead of coming back here. It wasn't his place to force her not to go so unfortunately here they both were. He had half a mind to quit this job but with MC's safety at possible risk he wasn't willing to chance it. So until he could possibly convince her otherwise, he was going to stay with her. He couldn't bear to have her go on her own.

"Hey MC..." Said a voice somewhat unsure of itself. MC turned to see Carey standing a few feet away from her. She was surprised not to see Ashley anywhere in sight. Tying her apron knot tightly behind her back, she walked over to her.

"Hi Carey." She said simply. It was kind of awkward trying to be so casual after not seeing her coworker in over a week but what else was she supposed to do? She glanced over to see Yoosung heading towards the kitchen doors to leave out onto the floor. MC nodded to him, showing she was okay. He nodded back and walked out of the door to start his work for the day.

"Um... I just wanted to say, I'm like super sorry about talking to Geoff about you and stuff. Ashley feels really bad too. She was way too nervous to say anything to you 'cuz she thinks it's our fault you had your panic attack last time. I'm super duper sorry if it was. We didn't know he was gonna scare you or anything like that." Said Carey with a frown. MC felt an icy feeling flash through her momentarily at the memory before shaking it away. She needed to get a grip.

"No it's, it's okay. Don't worry about it. It's my fault anyway, I don't know what I was seeing." She said hesitantly.

"Are you sure? You're not like upset at all or anything?" Pressed Carey. She looked hopeful.

"No, I'm okay. Really. I'd rather pretend nothing ever happened truthfully..." said MC, looking down at her feet.

"Oh! Totally, no problem! I can do that!" Said Carey cheerfully. "So, then I shouldn't like ask about anything about that then should I? Okay, cool I got it! Also, we've been super swamped while you've been gone. We're all so glad to have you back!"

"Really?" Said MC in disbelief. Maybe she really had read the room wrong when she came in.

"Oh yeah, we were just kinda nervous 'cuz we didn't know if like you'd be... uh... Never mind. It doesn't matter since you're back now! Come on, we should get back out onto the floor. You should come say hi to Ash' she missed you too!" Said Carey happily. MC smiled softly. She really was missed.

After checking the spread sheet on the wall for her assignments for the day MC walked out of the kitchen with Carey out onto the floor. She felt the eyes of her coworkers drill into her again and she froze. Carey nudged her lightly before smiling. MC willed herself to look out again and saw that her coworkers were sporting similar welcoming smiles. She grinned, feeling content with her surroundings. She could make it through the day.

As the day dragged on Yoosung found himself almost constantly checking for his girlfriend's whereabouts. He just couldn't feel relaxed unless he was sure she was alright. A tight knot would form in his chest forcing him to scan the restaurant. As soon as he seen her familiar face peaking out from somewhere among the tables he would sigh in relief. Within moments the feeling would return and he'd be searching all over again. It almost felt as if a balloon had taken root inside his chest, filling to burst whenever he got nervous.

A sudden vibration from his pocket distracted him from the stain he was currently scrubbing at. He knew it was against policy to use your phone on the clock but perhaps checking the main screen wouldn't hurt. If anything, he could lie and say he had been checking the time. He used to use that line back when he was in college. It only worked about half of the time, unfortunately.

He almost dropped the rag he was holding when he flipped open his phone. A notification in the messenger drew his attention. Lately he had been becoming more and more anxious waiting for Seven to contact him. Each time he got a notification he prayed it would be him with good news. Usually it just turned out to be Zen or one of the other members asking how he was doing. But mostly it was Zen.

Yoosung's cheeks flushed as he remembered the last conversation he had had with him. Why did Zen have to be so blunt? It's not like he was planning on anything to happen between him and MC yet. Sure, he thought about it, but wouldn't she think badly of him for it? He didn't want to rush things too much and scare her. His mind wandered back to the other night on the couch. A shiver coarsed through him. He wished Rachael hadn't come back when she had.

After checking his surroundings he tapped his messages. An audible squeak burst through him and he slammed his phone into his chest, hiding it from view. A message from Seven had shown up at him from the screen. There was no helping it. It was time for a bathroom break. Now.

It felt almost dirty to hide inside a bathroom stall just to text. Yoosung convinced himself that this was for an important cause and that his conscience would just have to live with it. If Seven had something important to say he needed to know immediately.

"Hey, Yoosung! You busy? I have an update for you I think you'll kind of maybe like! Possibly. I don't have the bugs all figured out yet but I've made some progress you should hear about!"

"Seven! Thank goodness! Please tell me you have good news."

"Well, I hope you're content with okay news because that's all I got unfortunately. So I was looking into your transportation method and I think I found a way for your girlfriend to come back with you. Maybe. That or it'll disintegrate her. I'm not quite sure enough yet to know which it is."

Yoosung nearly dropped his phone in surprise. That's just what he needed. Dropping his phone into the toilet again while talking to Seven about life or death involving his girlfriend. Nice Yoosung. Nice.

He glared at the offending porcelain bowl and turned his back on it. This wasn't the time to let it get the best of him.

"Wait you don't know which one? Seven that's a huge difference! I don't want to chance MC getting hurt! If she can't come back with me safe and sound I'm not going to go."

"Yoosung, it's kind of very important you come back... and I told you I'm working on it. So far it's a fifty-fifty. Hey, I have an idea. This would work better if I could talk to her too. Give me her phone number. Actually, wait. Does she have the messenger installed on her phone too? I can contact her through it."

"I thought only you could allow people to download the messenger though? And how are you going to do that? You're somewhere completely different than us!"

"I'm talking to you aren't I? And I meant the game. Have her install the game and name her character 100 1001 100 1101 100 1000 100 0101 100 1010 100 0101."

"What does that mean? It's so long. How are you even doing all of this?"

"Yoosung now isn't the time to ask questions. Just do as I asked and I promise I'll figure a way out of all of this for both of you. But I need you to help me help you. I'll explain everything when you come home, okay?"

"Alright, if you say so then I'll listen. I'll tell her after we get off work."

"Avoiding your job too I see? Don't worry I won't tell lol but seriously I do have to get back to work. I'm very behind because of all of this. You owe me I hope you know that. Anyway, good bye! 707 over and out!"

Yoosung sighed as he stared at his conversation with his friend. A loud commotion made him jump in the tiny stall, almost throwing his phone again. He really needed to get out of here and figure out what that noise was. Another loud bang caused him to practically run out of the bathroom. MC had come to mind and he worried something might have happened to her.

Small spots of dirt littered the kitchen floor in a long line. Yoosung looked around the corner, searching for the source. The tracks had started by the back door that led to their break area where MC and he usually sat under the big tree to eat lunch. His eyes slid across the long dirty trail and found it led all the way to the other side of the kitchen to a small cabinet on the floor with the door slightly ajar.

A few of the chefs were standing around, staring at the cabinet in surprise. None of them seemed quite sure what to do. Yoosung looked on in shock, inching towards the cabinet. Something was pulling him towards it.

As he neared the cabinet he heard a voice from behind him tell him to be careful. He didn't know what was driving him to look behind that small door. Some of the chefs swore they didn't know what had ran in there. Others were convinced a raccoon had ran inside of it and were urging him to back away. A small whine caught his attention just before his courage almost failed him.

The kitchen door swung open and he turned to see MC along with a few of the other workers crowded around her. It seemed he wasn't the only one who noticed the loud noises that had come from the kitchen. He was just relieved to see MC's face safe and sound.

"What's in there?" Asked Ashley, poking her head out from behind MC.

"We don't know." Said one of the chefs. "Something brown just scurried on in here and hid inside that there cabinet. I swore it was a raccoon but I didn't get a good 'nuff look at it."

"Yoosung, you're not going to just open that are you?" Asked MC worriedly.

"I think I heard whatever it was cry. It might be hurt." Insisted Yoosung. An overwhelming urge had overcome him. If whatever was inside was hurt he wanted to help it.

"We should call an exterminator or something." Mentioned Geoff from the back of the kitchen. He was the furthest away from the main attraction at the moment. "What if it was a rat? That thing will bite your hand off man."

Yoosung shivered. Even through his fear the urge to open the door was too strong. Before he could manage to gather his courage and grab for the handle however, the door burst open. Screams erupted around him as he was thrown onto his back. It felt like a small bowling ball had launched itself straight into his chest and sent him flying.

Something warm and wet slapped itself against his face as a pair of claws dug at his chest. He let out a small yelp of surprise and clenched his eyes shut involuntarily. When he opened his them fianlly, fully prepared to throw whatever creature had attacked him away, he gasped.

Coos of adoration filled the room as the waitresses gathered around him. A puppy of what appeared to be a few months old sat on his chest, wrestling its way against his hands to reach his face again. It's tongue flicked wildly as it tried to lick every inch of him in excitement. Yoosung laughed and immediately stopped fighting the tiny creature.

Yoosung sat with his girlfriend beside the small spotted puppy outside on a bench under their special tree. The manager hadn't been as excited to see the unexpected guest as the rest of his employees and had ordered it to be removed from his establishment. MC had fought the hardest against kicking the poor creature out on his own and had insisted on at least tying him up to tree out back until they could figure out what to do with him. After quite a bit of convincing, Paul had finally agreed.

Lunch time was already here and MC felt relieved to be outside with the small dog. She had no idea how the poor little fellow had gotten himself inside the kitchen through the back door but she couldn't be happier. She giggled as she watched the puppy nibble on her shoe playfully, throwing his head back and forth. It didn't matter to her if she needed to get new shoes anytime soon. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten to play with a dog.

"Oh, you're so cute! Yes you are!" Giggled MC, nudging her foot back and forth. The puppy growled happily, latching onto her shoe again. Yoosung smiled as he watched his girlfriend play with the puppy. It looked like all of her anxieties had melted away as soon as the little guy had shown up. He figured she must really like animals too.

"Hey, uh MC?" Said Yoosung, remembering his conversation with Seven from before.

"Yeah?" Answered MC, tearing her eyes away from the fluffy ball below her.

"Do you have that game installed on your new phone by any chance?" He asked, scratched the side of his neck nervously. It always made him slightly nervous to talk about his game with her. Knowing where he came from always filled him with mixed feelings. Maybe next time Seven contacted him he could convince him to answer a few of his questions.

MC flushed, clearly embarrassed with his question. She glanced down to her feet. The puppy had tuckered itself out and was currently using her now slightly damaged, wet shoe as a head rest. A strange feeling swirled inside her. Why would he be asking about that? He didn't think she was going to try and do anything with someone else or something did he?

"N-no, I don't actually. I haven't had it since back at the apartment when-" She said, stopping mid sentence as she realized they were very much in public. "Uh, when that accident happened."

"Okay. You need to get it again." He insisted. MC made a face.

"What? Why would I do that? I don't have any reason to since well... I mean..." Said MC, gesturing vaguely at him. Yoosung flipped open his phone and opened it to his chat with his friend.

"Because Seven asked me to ask you to. Here, look." He said as he handed over his phone. MC skimmed along the messages, her eyes growing wide. Seeing that he mentioned her disintegrating didn't exactly give her the best feeling in the world. It was when she seen that he was close to figuring out a way to bring her over as well that she nearly squeaked in surprise.

"Wait, so he's almost figured it out?" She said excitedly. Yoosung nodded.

"Yeah but, as you can see, he wants to talk to you. So, you have to download the app again and type what he wrote there. I have no clue what that means though. He's always typing weird stuff like that." Said Yoosung, pointing at his phone again before MC handed it back to him.

"Okay. I'll have to do that as soon as we get home then. It's going to feel weird though. I wonder if the app is still up... they've been having a few problems with it." Said MC thoughtfully. Yoosung tilted his head.

"Really?" Asked Yoosung curiously.

"Remember awhile back when I showed you, uh, about the game online? And they said one of the characters wasn't playable anymore?" Said MC, raising her eyebrow at him hoping he'd get the hint.

Yoosung's eyes widened as the realization hit him. Of course, if he wasn't in the game then there must still be problems going on. He sincerely hoped MC would be able to re download it. Seven seemed to really need to talk to her.

The rest of the day went by relatively smooth. Other than someone needing to guard the puppy at all times everyone was out on the floor. The diner had become much busier towards the end of the night. Sunday's were always more packed for some reason. Yoosung thought it would've made more sense for it to be Fridays or Saturdays, but surprisingly Sunday's were just as busy if not more so.

As the work day came to a close, however, they ran into a problem. With everyone going home, someone was going to have to take the puppy with them. If not the manager would be forced to call a shelter or animal control to take him in. MC had almost cried when he threatened this. Yoosung couldn't stand to see her upset and went straight away to calling Rachael.

"Hello? Yoosung what's up? You guys alright over there? You should be getting out about now, I hope nothing bad happened." Said Rachael with worry clear in her voice.

"No, no nothing like that." Yoosung insisted. They were sitting outside of the diner with a few of their coworkers. Ashley and Carey stood close by, holding onto the puppy in turns. They had both wanted desperately to take him home but neither of them lived in an area that allowed pets. To compensate they decided to have as much time with the dog before having to give him up. MC watched Yoosung expectantly as he held the phone to his ear.

"We do have a slight problem though." He admitted. He could almost hear the sharp gasp on the other side of the line.

"Problem? What problem?" Asked Rachael. Yoosung could tell she was trying to remain calm.

"Don't worry MC's okay if that's what you're worrying about. She's sitting with me right now." He assured her, his hand resting on MC's thigh casually.

"Oh thank goodness." Breathed Rachael. "Car didn't break down again did it?"

"No, and Rachael wait let me just tell you what's going on, okay?" He said, trying to get an opening.

"Oh, right, sorry." She apologized.

"Um, okay first off are you allergic to any animals at all?" He asked hesitantly. The line was silent for a moment.

"... No? Why?" Came her voice again.

"Okay that's a relief. Well then, could I trouble you with a huge favor? MC felt too guilty to ask but I just couldn't let this go." He said. MC looked off to the side. He wasn't wrong. She felt bad asking her friend such a big favor as this. She was already taking care of them as it was. It wouldn't be right to just bring something home like this unexpectedly.

"Maybe, what is it?" Asked Rachael. She sounded a bit more hesitant than usual.

"How would you feel... about having a puppy? At least for a little bit?" Asked Yoosung slowly. MC watched his expression carefully, waiting for her friend to answer him.

"What?" Rachael asked in shock. Yoosung winced causing MC to frown.

"It wouldn't be for that long! At least, I think so anyway... you see, a puppy somehow broke into the restaurant today and we didn't want to turn it into the shelter. We could go out tomorrow and put up found signs and everything but the poor thing really needs a place to stay and no one else can take him home." Pleaded Yoosung. The phone stayed silent for a moment next to his ear.

"How much money do you guys have on you?" Asked Rachael. Yoosung pulled the phone away from him to look at it in confusion. MC made a questioning face at him but he shook his head for her to wait. The rest of their friends looked at him expectantly as he put the phone back to his ear.

"What? What does that have to do with this?" He asked, very confused.

"I said how much money do you have on you?" She repeated.

"What is she saying?" Asked MC. Her hand gripped his forearm as she waited for his response.

"She wants to know how much money we have on us." He said slowly, not quite understanding Rachael's question. MC cocked her head to the side. She didn't seem to understand either.

"Well... I mean I have about thirty in tips right now." She answered. Yoosung nodded and turned his attention back to the phone.

"Uh, we have about thirty w- dollars." He said, wincing at his almost slip up. "But why did you need to know that?"

"Because dog food is expensive and I needed to make sure you had enough to get some on your way home. You better bring back a ball or something too because I am not having a toy deprived puppy inside my home. Those are my terms, no negotiation." She said firmly. Yoosung's eyes widened and he smiled. He felt MC jump beside him happily, taking his expression to mean a positive response.

"So we can bring him home?" He asked excitedly.

"Of course!" Said Rachael as if that was the dumbest question she had ever heard in her life. "But I have one more condition!" She finished on a serious note.

"Uh, sure what is it?" He asked with concern. He hoped she wasn't going to request something ludicrous in exchange for the favor she was doing for them.

"I get to name him." She said triumphantly. Yoosung threw his head back and laughed. Why did he expect anything different?


	16. Chapter 16 Danger

Chapter 16  
Danger

Rachael squeed as she held the happy puppy in her arms. MC giggled while she watching her friend smoosh her face lovingly against the puppy. She hadn't seen Rachael this overjoyed in a long time. Yoosung grunted as he lifted the heavy bag of dog food through the front door. They had stopped at a pet store on their way back home. MC was lucky she had enough to buy food and a couple of cheap bowls along with a ball. Even if they'd only have the puppy for a short amount of time they wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.

"I'm gonna call you Buster." Laughed Rachael as she nuzzled the puppy. He looked quite big in her arms but she didn't seem to care. She was far too excited.

"Buster?" Asked Yoosung as he set down the heavy bag next to the kitchen doorway.

"Of course! He busted right into the restaurant all by himself like a little stinker. Yes he did, yes he did!" Rachael cooed as Buster licked at her face excitedly.

"Clever." Laughed MC. "Oh, Yoosung! You should put some of that food into one of the bowls for the little guy. I bet he's hungry."

Yoosung nodded and ripped open the bag. Buster immediately froze and sniffed at the air before wriggling free of Rachael's grasp and down onto the floor. He scampered excitedly over to Yoosung, running around his feet while yipping happily.

"And there he goes. Why does every man I love leave me?" Said Rachael over dramatically. Both Rachael and MC watched as Yoosung set down the now full bowl of food. Buster practically dove face first into the kibble. It almost looked like the poor thing hadn't had a decent meal in days.

"Aawwww loot at the cute little pupper go." Smiled Rachael, walking over to kneel next to the puppy. She stroked it happily as Buster continued eating his food noisily. He was making quite the mess.

"He is really cute." Said Yoosung with a smile, kneeling next to her to watch. He felt happy about bringing the puppy home with them. Buster seemed to have adjusted just fine and everything. He really was a happy little boy.

"Oh, Yoosung!" Said MC. A thought had struck her. "Didn't you need me to do something with my phone? Something important?" She said, nodding her head hoping to get her point across. Yoosung made a face at her before jumping to his feet.

"Ah! I almost forgot! Yeah, should probably do that. Uh, Rachael? Do you think you could watch Buster for a little bit? I have to show MC something." He said, looking back down at their friend. Rachael looked up at him as if he were implying she would do anything other than what he had asked.

"Dude, yeah of course I'll watch the little fuzzball. You go do your thing. This guy has more puppy love for me than I've gotten in years. We'll be fine." She laughed. Yoosung smiled before nodding for MC to follow him up the stairs. She couldn't resist giving Buster a loving pat on her way down the hall.

As they reached their shared bedroom Yoosung pulled out his phone, opening up his messenger app back to his conversation with Seven. MC pulled out her phone as well. She remembered she needed to install the Mystic Messenger app again and headed to the app store. Her eyes widened when she reached the apps download page.

"Oh... oh wow." She said in disbelief.

"What is it?" Asked Yoosung, looking over her phone slightly.

The download page showed something MC never thought she would ever see. A two star rating. Since when would Mystic Messenger EVER have a rating so low? She scrolled down to the reviews hastily to find the source of the problem. Many of the reviews read the same. Loaded with bugs. Cheritz not solving the existing problems. Character dialogue filled with strange symbols. Everything screamed trouble.

"Oh my god, I had no idea it had gotten this bad." Said MC in shock. Yoosung read along the reviews as well beside her. He looked equally surprised. From what MC had told him the game he came from was very beloved among its players. What had happened?

That's when it struck him. This was somewhat his fault wasn't it? If he was missing from his own game then of course it was going to bring problems. He hadn't thought about the consequences of his existence outside of his own world. A small pang of panic cut through his chest. What if his not being there effected his friends who still were inside of that world?

MC hurriedly pressed the download option and waited for the bar to load. With Yoosung here with her in the real world she hadn't given a second thought to how the game might be fairing. She remembered back when he first arrived back in her apartment. The pages she had shown him on the internet to prove where he had come from. There had been a link talking about problems the app was facing due to his disappearance. She had become so distraught when he had run out of her home that she had completely forgotten about what must be happening for the rest of the fans.

Once the app was downloaded she opened it immediately. The familiar "Cheritz" logo loaded. Instead of hearing the name read back to her in one of the familiar characters' voices, however, a loud garbled computerized scream rang from her phone. She nearly dropped it in shock. Her heart was pounding in her chest from the fright. Yoosung stared at her phone in surprise, flinching away from the offending noise from only a second before.

MC stared at the main screen, the word start flashing at the bottom. A glitchy pixelized face shown in the background. Every character looked fine except for Yoosung's. It was as every bit of his existence had been ripped entirely from the game itself. Even his picture wouldn't show clearly. A shiver ran through her as she realized the voice from before must've also been one of his lines. What was his absence doing to this game?

She figured she should start a new game entirely because of the circumstances. If she was supposed to freshly name a new character than that was probably the best way to do it. As the game loaded she quickly pressed the x in the upper right corner. A log in screen greeted her. Quickly trying to remember a different email than the one she had originally used, she pressed the option to join the RFA. After filling out everything as fast as she could she finally came across the point where she could name herself. She sincerely hoped she could enter that ludicrous amount of numbers.

"Yoosung, hand me your phone." She asked, her hand outstretched. Yoosung obliged immediately. MC looked at the speech bubble from Seven and copied the numbers exactly into the bar. Surprisingly, it all fit.

Then something very unexpected happened. After accepting her new name the game didn't take her to the next screen. No option for casual or deep route appeared. Instead the screen seemed to dissolve away pixel by pixel. A new page materialized before her. The same application that she had seen on Yoosung's phone stared her in the face. Seven had somehow found a way to give her the original and official RFA messenger. So this was how he planned on talking to her.

Her phone vibrated almost immediately, a notification popping up on the screen. Seven had already sent her a message. This man was extremely on the ball lately. If it weren't for the fact that their situation was rather serious, she would've been absolutely excited to talk to Seven for real. This wasn't anything like the one sided phone call from before.

"Wow, that was really fast." Commented Yoosung. "I still don't understand how he managed to do all this though. This is amazing." He looked positively in awe. MC found herself very impressed as well. Of course, unlike her boyfriend, she was aware of the hacker's true expertise in all things technical. Thank you internet for always spoiling characters for all fans everywhere.

They both sat on the bed as MC clicked on the notification. Yoosung couldn't help but read over her shoulder. MC was too focused to care for the moment.

"Hello? This is MC, right?"

"Yes, Yoosung told me you needed to talk to me? I can't believe I'm actually speaking to you for real this is just, wow. What's going on though? Why did you need to talk to me?"

As usual, for the past few weeks at least, his reply was almost instantaneous. For as little as he was logged in for the chat rooms MC was thoroughly surprised with his sudden punctuality. From what she had heard and seen he was usually much too busy to text this much. Things must be pretty serious.

"MC! Thank God, it is you. Alright. Good. Now, I need to ask you something very important. Answer me truthfully because I'm putting a lot on the line here. Please."

"Oh... okay. Yes, what is it?"

"You love Yoosung, correct?"

MC immediately felt flustered. What did this have to do with anything important? She could feel Yoosung's eyes on her from her side as a blush crept up onto her cheeks.

"Of course I do! Why are you asking me something like that?"

"Enough to die for him?"

MC froze. She hadn't expected him to say something so dark so suddenly.

"What... what are you talking about?"

"You want to come with him, right? Yoosung needs to come back to this world. I need to bring him back as soon as possible. Bad things are happening as we speak. The others might not notice it but I have. The connection is growing weaker. But I'm asking you in all seriousness. Would you die for him? Because I'm not entirely sure at this point if I can bring you both through safely. I'm sure Yoosung showed you my texts?"

MC turned to look at Yoosung gravely. He looked just as worried as she did felt. Yoosung had half a mind to text him as well but he knew it would only cost Seven time in explaining things. If anything he wished he could just call him. Why were things so complicated?

"Of course I want to come with him! I... I don't think I could be without him. Not at all. But what's happening? What's going on? Is something bad going to happen?"

"Possibly. If I can't fix this soon. I feel like I might have another week, week and a half tops."

"What... what's going to happen if you can't?"

Anxiety bubbled up inside of her as she stared down at her phone. His reply was taking a lot longer than the others. He either didn't want to say the answer or he was typing out a lot more than usual.

"Have you noticed anything strange happening to Yoosung? Has he been sleeping more often? Does he ever get confused or seem out of it at all?"

That wasn't what she had expected either. Why was he answering her question with another question? She looked to Yoosung who shook his head in confusion. He hadn't seemed off at all that she had noticed either.

"No, why?"

"Oh, okay well that's great. It hasn't started effecting him at all yet."

"What hasn't been effecting him?"

MC was getting tired of asking questions only to end up answering his instead. She needed to know what was going on.

"The connection. I told you it's getting weaker. It's the only thing really connecting our two worlds. Are you familiar with the idea that there's an infinite amount of realities, dimensions and all of that? This game that you thought you were playing is tied to ours. Without Yoosung here, the connection is stretched thin trying to compensate. It's lost a huge chunk of it's code and it's glitching out bad. If we don't get him back home and the connection snaps his mind might go with it."

MC and Yoosung stared blankly at Seven's reply. His mind might go? What did he mean by that? Yoosung wasn't going to... no. Oh no.

"Are you saying if he doesn't go back he's going to die?"

MC's heart hammered in her chest as she awaited his response. A hand clenched onto her thigh and she looked to see Yoosung staring down at her phone. His eyes were wide with worry. He looked as if he was going to panic any moment. After what felt like an eternity her phone vibrated again, drawing her attention back to it.

"No, not quite. His code wasn't ripped cleanly from the game. There's still fragments holding him here. If the connection snaps then those parts will stay here with it... basically... physically he'd still be there, but mentally... Well, imagine falling asleep and not waking up again. That's what would happen. So please, you need to convince him to come back to us. I don't even have words for how worried I've been. Please. If he won't listen to me, he'll listen to you. I'm trying as hard as I can to program a way to bring you both through but it's a lot harder than I initially thought. That's why I had to ask you. Because, unless you can completely commit to this absolutely insane plan I don't know if I should keep trying. There's only so much time left."

The color drained from Yoosung's face and his hands turned clammy. A shiver of fear flooded through him as he read the words over and over again. It felt as if a band had been stretched around his chest. He couldn't breathe. The air was too thick. A gasp escaped him as he gripped at his chest over his shirt.

"Yoosung! Hey, no baby calm down it's okay!" Said MC frantically, grabbing onto his shoulders as he hyperventilated. His mind was going a mile a second and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. It felt like he was about to have a heart attack. Seven was saying if he didn't go back he was basically going to go into a coma? He really had no choice in the matter? Was this some kind of sick joke?

His vision blurred as MC shook him vigorously back to reality. He looked at her, breathing heavily as his eyes searched hers. Before he knew what he was doing his arms were around her. He shook against her as he held her close for dear life. MC's heart broke in two feeling him collapse against her. She could practically feel the fear radiating off of him. Her arms held him securely, wishing with all her might to take away the pain he was feeling and make him feel safe again. But she knew there was nothing she could do. This was beyond serious.

That night was the first night since they had arrived at Rachael's house that Yoosung refused to sleep next to her. In fact, he refused to sleep at all. The idea that he may never wake up again haunted him. There was no way he could possibly let himself sleep now. So instead he sat on the bed beside MC as she laid down for the night.

She looked at him worriedly. Even though she had tried he wouldn't let her stay up with him. They needed to work the next day and he insisted he couldn't have her sleep deprived just because of him. As hard as she tried she just couldn't will herself to sleep when he was suffering so close by.

After his panic attack from Seven's reply MC had insisted that his well being was more important to her. Her feelings be damned. He was the one who needed to be safe. If she couldn't come with him then that's just how it would have to be. Her heart ached as she thought of the possibility of anything bad happening to her beloved. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

Her reply seemed to move Seven. He had insisted he would work twice as hard to find a way to bring her through. However, if at any time Yoosung seemed to display any bad symptoms, she was to report it immediately and their plan would be canceled. His safety was of the utmost importance.

When MC awoke the next morning a jolt of panic ran through her as her arm stretched across the vast empty mattress beside her. She shot up, eyes darting around the room. Yoosung was nowhere in sight. Bile rose in her throat as a sense of unease set in. Where had he gone?

MC scrambled out of bed, calling her boyfriend's name into the empty room. She wrenched the bedroom door open in a flurry of panic and burst out into the hall. Rachael stood frozen in the hallway, a spoon halfway in her mouth. She looked as if she wasn't sure how to react.

"Where's Yoosung?" Cried MC. Rachael quickly swallowed the yogurt in her mouth and coughed.

"H-he's downstairs. In the game room. Is everything okay, did something happen?" Rachael asked with concern. "You're pale as a ghost."

MC let out a loud breath of relief before slumping against the wall beside her. Her heart drummed in her ears from the adrenaline. With a few deep breaths she managed to mostly calm herself down.

"Uh... MC? Everything alright...?" Asked Rachael again, gesturing towards her with her spoon.

"Yeah," MC said between pants. "Just uh, had a bad dream was all." She lied. Rachael looked at her suspiciously and opened her mouth to speak again. The world seemed to have other plans, however, for she was interrupted by a loud yipping from down the stairs.

Buster came bounding up the steps with a happy grin on his face. After plopping down in front of Rachael he proceeded to bite at the hem of her jeans. Rachael let out a laugh before wiggling free.

"Alright, alright you little stinker I get it I get it." She laughed. MC raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, right, the little guy has to go potty. This little guy must really be somebody's pet. He's been doing this since you guys brought him home. Yoosung figured it out and told me this morning. Guess he didn't get much sleep last night?" She asked as she scooped up Buster into her arms. A small grunt escaped her as she started to heave him down the stairs. MC would've questioned why Rachael kept carrying him around if it was so difficult but she bet she already knew the answer. Rachael just loved dogs.

"Yeah... He told me last night he was uh, having trouble with it. I didn't know he left the room though. It must've been after I fell asleep." MC said thoughtfully. At least he was safe. She placed a hand to her heart and felt it nearly trying to jump out of her chest. That wasn't an experience she ever wanted to have again.

As MC followed her friend down into the kitchen she noticed a soft noise emanating from the distance. She looked over at the basement door. It sounded like the noise was coming from over there. Yoosung was probably down there right now on one of the computers. Had he really stayed awake all night long? As a game addict it wasn't hard to believe he wouldn't have any trouble accomplishing something like that. That didn't mean she didn't worry for him, however.

"Oh yeah he's been down there since I got up this morning. He looked a little shaken up though. You sure nothing happened between you guys?" Said Rachael as she came back from the sliding glass door. Buster was currently running about the backyard, presumably trying to find the best possible place to do his business.

"Yeah, no we're fine... he's just... having a hard time with something right now. It's personal." MC replied, hoping it would be enough to stop Rachael from questioning her further. With all that was going on right now inside her head she didn't want to have to juggle things further while trying to make up a believable story for her friend.

Something nagged at her that she would need to tell Rachael something eventually. It wasn't like she could exactly hide something this big for very long. But was there any way she would believe her? It was quite a lot to take in. The problem didn't even lie with how large of an issue was going on but what it involved, unfortunately.

How was she supposed to possibly convince her friend that her boyfriend had literally crossed dimensions through a game to her and that they were both- possibly she hoped- going to be leaving the same way as well? And that if they didn't get this problem solved soon it was even likely that he would suffer permanent brain damage and be forced into a coma? Who on earth would believe such a ludicrous sounding story?

As she watched her friend let in their new, possibly temporary, puppy she knew. There was no way she could ever leave her best friend like that high and dry. To disappear without a trace would be an insult to all that she had ever done for her. Her and Yoosung at least owed her that much. Even if it made her think they were crazy, even if she didn't believe them, she deserved the truth.

"MC? Okay, are you sure you're alright? You keep spacing out on me." Asked Rachael, her eyebrows scrunched together with a frown. "You're starting to worry me."

"What? Oh, no I just... I guess I didn't get much sleep last night either." She blurted. Rachael scrutinized her, seemingly unconvinced with her response. Something seemed very off between the two of her friends lately again and it was nagging at her. She would need to have a sit down with them later if this kept up.

"Alright, MC. If you say so." She said slowly. "Hey, go get your boyfriend from downstairs. I made some fliers I wanted to post around town before we go to work. He doesn't have to go in today does he? Could probably have him hand some out or place them around too while were gone."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." MC agreed, happy to change the subject. "I'll go get him."

She walked carefully towards the basement stairs, hyper aware of her friend's watchful gaze. It felt like she was seeing right through her. MC had always had a hard time lying to her friend and this situation was killing her inside. They would have to have a serious talk about everything the way things were going. If they didn't, the guilt might actually kill her.

The sounds of muffled music met her ears as she walked down the stairs. She hadn't gone down into the basement in such a long time she had almost forgotten what it looked like. A few computers rested along the long table against the wall where her boyfriend currently sat. A large TV. was plastered to the opposite wall, a few gaming systems littered about underneath it. Chairs and beanbags coated the floor along with a small coffee table and a pool table at the other side of the room . It felt very cozy down here.

"Yoosung?" She called to him. He didn't seem to notice she was even in the room. His eyes were glued to the computer screen. It looked like he had taken back up his interest in WOW.

"Yoosung?" MC said with a bit more force. Yoosung perked up, removing his headphones. Without his ears to block the noise the muffled music from before burst forth into the room. It sounded like he had turned the volume to the max while playing his game.

"MC? Is it morning already?" He asked drearily. As he spun his chair to face her she saw dark circles had formed under his eyes. His face was pale and his eyes had taken on a soft pink. He was the picture of exhaustion.

"Yes, oh Yoosung... you look so tired... shouldn't you at least try to take a nap?" She said, bringing back up a conversation from the night before. His eyes widened before he shook his head violently.

"No. I told you. I can't sleep. Nope, no I won't do it. Please MC... please stop asking me." He pleaded. "I don't want you feeling bad about this too. It'll just make me sad. I'll be okay. I have to be okay so don't worry."

MC frowned at the sleep deprived boy. She could see the fear still in his eyes. Nothing was okay with this. Nothing was at all.

"I... okay." She said, hanging her head slightly. Yoosung frowned. He didn't like seeing her upset. Unfortunately that was nothing compared to the sheer terror that filled him through the entire night. He couldn't bear thinking what might happen if he closed his eyes. Seven hadn't explicitly said it would start to happen any time soon but he wasn't willing to chance it. There were times he had stayed up for days on end for tournaments among other things. He could handle this. He just wished he could make her stop worrying about him. If anything, seeing her smile would help him more than anything else.

"Um... Rachael wanted you to come upstairs. She said she has fliers for us to hand out for the puppy." Said MC, glancing back up. It hurt her inside to see him looking the way he did.

"Fliers?" He asked, his mind going fuzzy.

"Remember? We need to put up found fliers around town before work today. Well, Rachael and I anyway. So the people who own Buster can come and find him? She was wondering if you could maybe post some or hand some out while we're at work too. If that's not too much trouble anyway." She answered.

"Oh, yeah sure I don't mind." He said cheerfully. "He's such a cute puppy though, I'll be sad to see him go."

MC bit her lip, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"Not as cute as you..." She said softly. Yoosung blinked a few times before smiling as well. Even in a moment like this she could be so sweet to him. He felt his heart ease a little from the tension and a faint familiar sensation float through him.

"I love you, MC."

"I love you too, Yoosung."


	17. Chapter 17 Suspicion

Chapter 17  
Suspicion

MC, Yoosung and Rachael had made quick work of posting the found posters throughout their small neighborhood. Rachael's home was in a much nicer area of the city, towards the outskirts. It wasn't nearly as dangerous as it had been back by MC's old apartment so walking around in the open wasn't as big of a problem. Unfortunately, seeing as both Rachael and MC had to go to work, Yoosung was stuck with the leftover stacks of paper.

He didn't mind taking over poster duty though. This would give him a chance to get his mind off of things for awhile and wake up his body. Walking around would be sure to help keep him awake. Plus, he had Buster with him to keep him company. He could stay out all day if he wanted to. As long as he had his phone on him he didn't need to worry about getting lost and could head home whenever. Buster sure seemed to appreciate the fresh air.

Yoosung shifted the backpack he had borrowed off of his shoulder. Buster yapped happily as the pack thumped onto the sidewalk. With a smile Yoosung ruffled the top of his head, taking a slip of paper out of the backpack. He looked up at the pole before him. There were so many other signs already stapled across almost every inch of it. Luckily his eyes spotted an empty spot just big enough for their small poster.

Figuring this would be good enough for now, Yoosung decided to take a small walk for fun. A small wave of disorientation washed over him and he shook his head. The exhaustion was starting to get to him. It was taking everything in him to stay awake. With a quick shake of his head to clear his double vision he set off on his way, Buster trailing happily beside him.

As he walked aimlessly through the streets he started to recognize the area again. Somehow Yoosung had managed to make a full circle back to one of the areas they had all been only a few hours ago. He was glad his legs at least seemed to know where he was. A strange feeling struck him. Something seemed different from before.

The bit of fence that had been covered with signs and posters earlier looked as if it had been ripped clean. The remnants of the colored papers lay in shreds along the sidewalk. Yoosung huffed, seeing a piece of one of their posters drift among the debris. There must be vandals in even this part of town. As he reached down to clean up the mess a voice spoke from behind him.

"You just missed 'im." Said an unfamiliar gruff voice. Yoosung jumped, stumbling over himself. He grabbed onto the fence for stability before looking behind him. Buster yapped at the man standing behind Yoosung, his leash tangled around one of his own paws as he ran in haphazard circles.

"Oh, sorry there boy. Didn't think I'd spook you. You alright?" Said the man, though he offered no hand to help him to his feet. Yoosung cleared his throat before pulling himself up to stand. The papers lay forgotten.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." He said as he dusted his pants. "Ack, no Buster don't bite!" Buster had begun nibbling at his pant leg, fascinated from the shaking. Yoosung sighed, unable to stop him.

"Quite a spunky pup you got there. You're new to it, ain't ya?" Asked the old man. He nonchalantly watched Yoosung as he fixed his cart. It looked like he was selling food of some sort.

"Yeah, actually we uh found him. We were putting up signs to try and find the owner." Said Yoosung, shifting his backpack again. "Also, what were you saying before? Missed someone?"

"Yep. You missed him. That punk ran by here a few minutes ago. Tore all those papers down with him. He's always running through here causing a ruckus. Scares people away from my cart. I have half a mind to call the police with all he's tried taking from me. Wouldn't be much use though." He said, spitting on the ground. Yoosung grimaced slightly and had to hold Buster back from the foreign liquid on the ground. "Damn cops never do their job."

"Do you know what he looked like? Maybe we could call anyway and they could keep an eye out? My friends and I took a long time putting up those posters." He said, looking back to the empty fence.

"Not a clue. Darn kid always has his hood up. Brat." The old man said with a sneer. "What about you? You don't seem like a bad kid. You wanna buy a burger or something to help an old man out? I'll hang on to one of your signs for ya." Said the gruff man. Yoosung looked to his cart and thought to decline before his stomach rumbled loudly. He placed a hand on his middle and looked down to Buster who was eyeing a piece of meat on top of the cart. He let out a soft whine.

"Yeah, yeah I'll take one." Yoosung conceded, pulling out his wallet. He was thankful he still had some money left from his last paycheck. The old man smiled gleefully.

"Thank ye much boy, that'll be $5." He said, sticking out a grubby hand. Yoosung flinched. That much for one hamburger? He thought about changing his mind but the soft whining from below caused him to groan internally. No turning back now.

He handed the man his cash along with one of his posters and accepted the modest burger. Buster pawed at his leg and whined, his eyes wide. Yoosung couldn't resist those puppy eyes and ripped a bit of hamburger off for the poor pup. The old man snickered behind his cart.

"Well he's got you trained good hasn't he?" Laughed the man. "You know, I think I seen that little dog around here before. Said you found him, did you?" Yoosung nodded.

"Yeah, he came into the restaurant my girlfriend and I work at. But that's a ways from here, are you sure you've seen him?" Yoosung asked curiously. A small part of him felt excited. This man might have some valuable information for him.

"Its a strong possibility. The little fella has the same spot on his head as the one I seen a little ways from here. You should go check out the houses near River Street down that a ways." Said the man, pointing down the road. "A lot of animals always gather near some of the abandoned buildings. He might be some poor bums pet. Don't worry none though, they're friendly." Laughed the man, looking at Yoosung's worried face. He nodded slowly as Buster pawed at his leg again.

"Uh, thanks mister. I'll be sure to check it out." He assured him. The man waved him off.

"Ain't no trouble. And be sure to pick up that mess before you leave, I can't stand litter." The man grumbled.

MC looked off blankly into the distance. Her and Rachael were sitting outside, enjoying their lunch together in the fresh air. Even with the calm atmosphere she couldn't help but worry for her boyfriend. She hoped he would be okay all by himself. The last time he had walked around the city hadn't been the best of experiences. A shiver ran down her spine at the memory. Surly this would be completely different. He would be fine. She shouldn't worry so much.

Seven's words rang through her mind and a frown crossed her face. She didn't really want to think about that conversation right now. Yoosung would be fine. As long as she kept telling herself that, things would turn out fine. They had to.

Rachael watched her friend look off in a daze. She looked like she was worrying about something quite a bit lately but no matter what Rachael tried, MC wouldn't fess up. Usually it didn't take too much prying for her to open up. This must be something big if she was so adamant about not sharing. Rachael wondered if her state of mind had anything to do with Yoosung. A knot pulled at her stomach. She hoped nothing was wrong between the two of them. No matter how she looked at it, however, they had been acting very strange lately.

As jealous as she was sometimes of her friends relationship, that didn't mean she wanted anything to happen between the two of them. For the longest time she had had trouble keeping a steady relationship. Knowing the pain that came with experience like that, she wanted to do all she could to help keep them together. Even if sometimes it hurt a little inside, she wanted to be the best friend she could. MC had been through enough from what she'd seen. There was no sense in adding her feelings to the mix. Rachael was sure she'd find someone some day.

Until that fated day would arrive she had enough to tide her over in the meantime. Her parents were hard enough on her as it was. Sure, on the surface things may seem fine and that's how she would like to keep it. A nice house her parents so graciously paid for her to stay in. Only because it was the only way to get her out of their house of course. Paying for her schooling out of the goodness of their hearts. Only for classes that they seen to their liking was where the catch laid. They wanted her to be successful and would be oh so proud of her. However, that was only if she followed through with their plans.

To be a business woman. Prim, proper and perfectly polite as they always said. She must be professional and punctual as much as possible. Always follow the rule of "P" they told her almost daily. More like Prissy, predictable and prickish she would say. They didn't like that very much. Rachael let out a sigh. She wished she could talk to them more about other things. Thoughts of grilling, frying and baking drifted into her mind. Her passion had always laid in cooking ever since she was a little girl. That wasn't for her to do though, her parents would always insist. Why would she need to cook when they paid someone to do it for them? They would never understand her.

Her eyes trained over to her friend again. Was MC happy with her life? Was she really in a place she was okay with for now? It must be tough having to rely on a friend so much for so long. Rachael didn't mind though. She wanted to help in any way she could. It was just in her nature. Seeing people smile was much preferable to seeing them cry. She never wanted to make her friends cry.

"MC?" She asked, tearing her friend away from her daydreams.

"What? Oh, yes Rachael?" Asked MC, her eyes focusing on her but her mind buzzing elsewhere. Rachael could tell she seemed distracted.

"Are you... are you sure you're alright? You've seemed... out of it all day now. Is something on your mind? You know you can tell me anything. I'm here for you." Said Rachael soothingly, patting MC's knee gently.

MC's lips tightened for a moment. As much as she wanted to scream her problems to her right then and there she knew it would be no use. There was no way she would ever believe a word she said. And who could blame her? Even in her own mind it sounded ridiculous. If she wasn't living it right now she hardly thought she would even believe it herself. It was just laughably unbelievable.

Rachael watched her expectantly. She could see the strain in her friends eyes. Her friend was never good at hiding things. Even if she really wanted to. It seemed there still wasn't any luck in getting anything from her as MC shook her head.

"No it's... I'm fine. Everything's okay." MC said, a heavy feeling weighing down her chest. It didn't feel right keeping this from her but she had no other choice. Rachael's face fell at her words before she glanced away.

"If you say so." She replied. It seemed like a sort of catchphrase to her at this point. Anytime she didn't believe something MC told her she would always say the same thing. Or at least a variation of it. She just wished her friend would just tell her the truth. It may seem a bit selfish, but she was almost starting to feel a bit offended at the lack of communication. Perhaps it wasn't really her business and she shouldn't be too nosy. Maybe it wasn't something she should be asking about. However, something nagged at her to keep asking. Something just didn't seem right.

As they got up to head back inside MC's phone began to ring. Not being quite used to the new ringer MC stood in confusement for a moment before jumping in realization. She scrambled for her phone while Rachael laughed at her reaction.

"Hello?" Answered MC, ear pressed against the phone.

"MC? Hi! It's Yoosung, can you talk for a minute?" Answered the voice on the other end. MC's eyes widened. She had forgotten to put her contacts into the phone since there were so few of them and hadn't expected to hear a familiar voice on the other side of the call. It would've worried her to hear Yoosung call her while she was at work if it wasn't for the fact that just hearing his voice dispelled her worries from before.

"Uh, I have like maybe two minutes." She confessed as she switched her phone to her other ear. Rachael gestured that she was going inside and MC waved goodbye, mentioning she'd follow in just a minute.

"Oh! I'll make it quick then. Okay so I think I have an idea on where Buster may have come from." Said Yoosung. The sound of a car passing by whizzed through the call. He must be out walking still. MC gripped her phone tighter. She hoped he was alright being out so long.

"Really? That's great!" She said, trying to focus on the good news.

"Yeah but I think we should check it out after you both get off work. It might be better to go with another person since it's in a more run down part of town. A guy selling burgers on the corner talked to me about it. He said it should be okay but I think it would be safer not to go alone." He said casually. MC heard him grunt slightly.

"Are you okay?" She asked with concern. Yoosung laughed.

"Yeah I'm okay. Buster got tired a little while ago and I've been carrying him around. I don't see how Rachael does this so easily. He's so heavy!" He whined. MC had to stifle a laugh.

"Well I'm sure you're doing a good job, being my big strong man that you are." MC teased. She could practically feel the heat from his face through the phone. "And I'd be happy to go with you after I get off work. It'll still be a couple hours before it gets dark and-"

"Oh, no!" Interrupted Yoosung. MC blinked in confusion. "I was actually going to ask Rachael to come with me. I didn't uh... I didn't really want to make you walk around that part of town. It might be too dangerous for you."

MC felt a bit torn. She felt happy he would be that considerate of her but also a bit jealous. If that's what he thought was best though then so be it. He needed the peace of mind at the moment more than she did. She would have to give him this one.

"Oh, well, alright then." She answered. "I'll let her know then. I have to get going though, have to get back to work."

"Okay." Said Yoosung. "I hope the rest of your day passes by quickly so I can see you again. I miss you."

"I miss you too Yoosung." Smiled MC.

"See you soon, I love you." He said followed by a quick kiss to the receiver. MC giggled as the sound reached her ear. That was a noise she hadn't heard in such a long time.

"I love you too, good bye." She said, mimicking his gesture before hanging up. It was amazing what a simple thing could do to lift her mood so easily.

With the pleasantness of the phone call lingering with MC the day seemed to pass by much faster. Rachael noticed a different air about her and felt confused. Was her mood really nothing at all? Maybe she was worrying over nothing. As much as she wanted to dismiss her suspicions something held her back. It still felt like something was there.

After her phone call MC had talked to her about what Yoosung had said. Rachael didn't even need to think twice. Of course she would be willing to accompany him, though he wasn't completely wrong about the area being mostly okay. It wasn't the best of places to be around by yourself but it wasn't the worst either. More than likely he would've been fine on his own but if it made him feel better to have a buddy she would be happy to take that place. After all, this might give her a chance to check up on him.

As they reached the house Yoosung came out to greet them. MC gave him a tight hug, doing her best to ignore the growing circles under his eyes. She really wish he'd sleep. Rachael honked her horn playfully and Yoosung jumped. After running inside to grab Buster, just in case they ran into someone who might recognize him, he slipped into the car. With a quick kiss goodbye he waved to MC as Rachael backed up out of their driveway. It was time to head back out.

Buster trampled over Yoosung's lap as he tried desperately to get his head out of the window. Yoosung held him back slightly out of worry. He didn't really like the idea of him possibly jumping out of the window.

"Ah, let the little guy get some wind." Insisted Rachael, patting Buster on the back happily before nudging Yoosung. He looked at her with unease for a moment before letting him free. Rachael adjusted the window for him and smiled.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Asked Yoosung. Ever since the incident with Sally he couldn't help but want to be extra careful with dogs near cars. Rachael nodded dismissively.

"Oh yeah, my dog used to do that all the time. Just keep a finger around his collar and you'll be good to go. He shouldn't try to jump out or anything hopefully." Said Rachael, switching her blinker on. Yoosung looked at her in surprise.

"What?" He asked. His hand quickly gripping at Buster's collar protectively.

"Don't worry, if anything happens I can just stop the car and go get him. No big deal. He's a good boy anyway, shouldn't have any trouble with him." She answered. Yoosung didn't seem very convinced, his hand never leaving the collar.

As they reached their destination Rachael pulled up on the side of the road. Luckily the parking meters hadn't infiltrated this part of town so they wouldn't have to worry about keeping track of time. As long as they left before it got dark out things should be fine. At least, that's what Rachael had said.

"Alright so which way did the guy say it was? Around here somewhere I know that much." Said Rachael, taking the leash from Yoosung. He relinquished it without a fight. It was quite a job walking that puppy all over the place. Especially if he decided he wanted to go somewhere other than the way you were headed.

"He said somewhere by River Street near the abandoned buildings. That's all I know." He admitted. It struck him that he should've probably gotten a better estimate of the surroundings. Oddly enough it seemed to be enough for Rachael on the other hand as she nodded and started leading the way.

As they walked Rachael couldn't help but eye her friend. He seemed much paler to her lately and the bags under his eyes were new. He must really not have gotten any sleep last night. The feeling from before stirred up inside of her. Worry filled her and she bit her cheek thoughtfully.

"So... everything okay between you and MC?" She asked casually as they walked along. Her eyes followed Buster as he ran from flower to flower, biting at all the colorful petals he could find.

"What?" He asked defensively. "Y-yeah we're fine. Why, did she say something about me?" Rachael could hear the worry in his voice.

"No, nothing like that." She admitted. "You guys just seem off lately so I thought I'd ask. Did something happen between you two again? I hope I'm not being too nosy it's just bothering me so bad." Yoosung bit his lip nervously. He didn't think this was a subject MC would be okay with him discussing. Besides, he didn't even think this was something Rachael would believe even if he tried.

"Did you guys like do something? Is that what it is?" Asked Rachael, her filter dropping a bit. Her eyes blew wide and she spun to face him. "Oh my god she isn't pregnant is she?"

Yoosung felt as if he might choke.

"N-no!" He sputtered out. "I didn't even, I mean we haven't even, that's not to say I don't want to but we, I haven't- n-no!" Rachael watched his embarrassed display before letting out a snort of laughter.

"Oh, oh geez okay I was really worried for a second there. Wait, so you guys haven't even done anything yet? Really? With how all over each other you always are I figured SOMETHING must've happened by now." She said casually. Yoosung was close to bursting into flames.

"I-I told you we haven't, i-its way too early for something like that. And I don't... I don't know if I really want to talk about this..." He said, his voice thick with embarrassment. Rachael pursed her lips into a smile.

"Aw, hon, nothing to be embarrassed about. Also, hey if you want to do something with someone and they're cool with it then there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not telling you to like head home right now and go at it, I'm just saying." Said Rachael. Perhaps that was what was bothering both of them. Maybe they were just frustrated with the other and needed to get laid. It was possible.

"But I mean, hey I got like a bunch of condoms in my room if you need some. The spare bedroom too. I got you. I don't need them anyway." Said Rachael with a smile. This had never been a very hard topic for her to talk about. She had to admit it was funny teasing someone else about it though.

"Rachael, please!" Yoosung whined, covering his face. His insides were squirming out of control. He shouldn't be talking about this with him and his girlfriend's mutual friend. It wasn't right, was it? Was this how people were about these things? He wouldn't know. It's not like he had ever been in this kind of situation before. Even in his sleepless stupor he still had a sliver of dignity left inside of him. No matter how much he thought about... that... It wasn't right to talk about it right now... Was it?

"Okay, okay. But don't say I didn't offer." Teased Rachael.

The next few minutes passed in silence as they walked along the streets. Other than the casual questioning of random strangers that happened to pass by not much was said between the two of them. Perhaps she had overdone it with the poor boy. He must not have talked about things like that very often.

"Oh, this must be the place." Announced Rachael. Yoosung looked ahead and saw what she had discovered. A stretch of run down houses greeted his eyes. It was certainly a huge contrast to what they had seen for the last few blocks. Among the many houses was an abandoned apartment complex, much smaller than the one he had stayed in a few weeks prior.

True to the cart man's word, there seemed to be a plethora of animals around the buildings. A few stray cats gathered in groups roamed with tails held high as a dog or two ran past. Yoosung wondered what attracted them to this particular part of town. Maybe it was the lack of people that made them feel safe. It was a thought, at least.

As they neared the buildings Rachael felt a tug at the leash in her hand. She looked down to see Buster wriggling against it, backing away from her. She looked at him quizzically.

"Whoa, you okay there boy?" She asked, loosening her hold a little. Buster continued backing away from the buildings, a low rumble building in his little throat. Yoosung's eyes widened to hear him growl so aggressively.

"Hey, Buster it's okay. What's the matter boy?" He asked, leaning down to try to calm the wriggling pup. Buster looked ahead towards the building. Another low growl fell from his throat along with a loud bark. Yoosung looked up at Rachael who looked equally surprised.

They both looked back towards the run down houses as Buster's frantic barking filled the air. He seemed to already know what lurked among those buildings. Whatever it was, however, he definitely didn't like it. Not one bit.


	18. Chapter 18 Truth

Chapter 18  
Truth

"Are you sure?" Asked MC, holding Buster on her lap as she sat on the couch. The puppy was teething on one of his rubber balls playfully as she watched her friend's worried expression. Yoosung and Rachael both looked as if they'd seen a ghost.

"Oh yeah, definitely." Nodded Rachael. "Something was definitely wrong over there. I don't think we should bring him back there. At all." She insisted, turning to Yoosung who nodded in agreement.

"Something really seemed to bother him. I think if he did come from somewhere near there he's better off with us. I don't even want to think about what could've happened to make him act like that." Yoosung frowned, looking at the puppy worriedly. A deep sadness filled his sleep deprived eyes. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Buster. Not after everything that happened with Sally way back when. He wanted to protect him.

"Do you think we should take down the posters?" Suggested MC. She rubbed Buster behind the ear affectionately, causing him to try to nibble at her fingers.

"Probably," said Rachael reclining in her chair. She tilted her head back towards the ceiling and sighed. "And after all that work too..."

"Hey now, I think I did most of the work." Said Yoosung with a smirk. "I don't even know how long I was walking around earlier. My feet are still killing me." He squeezed one of his feet tenderly before looking out towards the window. The moon was already high in the sky among the stars. Things were so much clearer here than back at the apartment. Though the night sky still felt like an unwelcome sight. So much was on his mind as it was. And he was so... so very tired.

"Well you better get a good night's sleep then. We'll have to take them down tomorrow before you guys go to work if we want to keep Buster safe. Do you remember where you posted them all?" Asked Rachael, leaning off of her recliner to look at him. Yoosung groaned.

"No... I just kind of put them everywhere. I thought it would be a good idea." He whined burying his face into his hands. Another groan followed as he rubbed his eyes vigorously.

"Um... Yoosung, she's right. Are you sure you don't want to come to bed...?" Asked MC hopefully. Yoosung flinched, peaking out from behind his hands.

"N-no. I mean," He said, clearing his throat. "Uh, no not yet. I wanted to check something out on WOW first..." MC frowned. She knew he didn't really plan on going to bed afterward. The concern was consuming her. He needed his sleep. Sure she understood he must be frightened but this could only be making things worse for him.

She was beyond worried for him as it was. With his lack of sleep, however, it was only making things worse. Surely he must be exhausted? Seven had only said that if the connection snapped then it would make him sleep... not if he slept it would happen. But there was no talking any sense into this boy. He was too scared out of his wits to listen to reason.

"You sure there, buddy? You look super tired already. Plus, don't you work tomorrow with MC?" Asked Rachael, raising a brow in his direction. She could've sworn that he did. After all, he hadn't corrected her earlier on the matter.

"Yeah, I do. But I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." He said waving her off. Her face scrunched at his gesture. Something really didn't seem right.

"Well uh, I'm gonna head downstairs for now then if that's okay. I won't forget about the posters tomorrow so don't worry about me or anything okay? Goodnight MC, Rachael." Yoosung said hurriedly, almost sensing her urge to question him yet again.

MC was surprised when he hurried past her without so much as a hug on his way to the basement. A pang of rejection stung her insides as she watched him run off. He must really be upset if he would bypass her so easily. She felt almost forgotten.

"Okay, I know you said you guys are fine but... are you sure?" Said Rachael after watching the scene finish unfolding before her. Something had to be wrong. She saw MC's hand clench at the arm rest for but a second before she replied.

"N-no... we're fine." MC answered insistently. Rachael's eyebrows knitted together in frustration. It seemed her friend still wasn't going to fess up to whatever it was that was going on. Rachael believed she had a right to know if something was happening. Maybe not exactly what it was, but just the fact that something going on would be enough. Whatever it was was obviously deeply bothering the both of them. Wouldn't it be better to just be out in the open about it? She was letting them stay in her house after all. If something was wrong she just wanted to help. It wouldn't do any good hiding things from one another.

Rachael huffed and heaved herself off of the recliner. There was no use in talking about this any more tonight. Perhaps she would try again in the morning. A thought struck her. Both of them were working tomorrow which meant she would have all day to think of what to say to them. When they came home she would have to have a serious talk with them both. Something was wrong and it was obviously hurting them. Things needed to be resolved. Even if she had to force it.

MC woke up on the too large bed alone, her arm draped over the space usually occupied by her boyfriend. Her insides squirmed uncomfortably as heart began to palpitate. If it wasn't for the previous morning's scare she would have had a much stronger reaction. She knew he was bound to be downstairs yet again, his face glued to the computer screen. It was probably the only thing that was keeping him awake at this point. Oh how she wished he would sleep...

It had only taken about an hour to head out for the day, Rachael opting to drop the both of them off at work after their little escapade beforehand. That is, they would have, if it weren't for the fact that there didn't seem to be anything to take down anymore. Every place they backtracked to from the day before was devoid of them ever having come across it. Every sign they had plastered around town was missing. Along with any other sign it seemed. This was absolutely mind boggling.

Yoosung had recognized the man from before and headed over to him, urging his friends to follow. The man huffed before pulling his pants up in a showy manner. He grunted as the three young adults stopped in front of his cart. His eyes shifted between the three of them suspiciously.

"May I help you?" He asked more out of habit. His voice betrayed his suspicion of the group. MC felt uneasy near the grubby man and looked to Yoosung. She was surprised to see he seemed rather content on the other hand.

"Uh yes, I was wondering if I could have that poster back I gave you yesterday?" Asked Yoosung, his hand fiddling with his pocket. A yawn threatened to creep up his throat and he coughed to suppress it.

"What? Why do you want that thing back all of a sudden? Thought you wanted to find the owner?" The cart man asked accusingly. Yoosung laughed nervously as Rachael eyed the man carefully.

"Well, about that, we checked out that area you mentioned and he had a strange reaction. We thought it would be best to just keep him at home." Yoosung admitted. The older man snorted to himself.

"Well then you're a bit outta luck." Said the cart man.

"What are you talking about?" Questioned Rachael, pushing herself in front of Yoosung, her hands gripping the cart. The man raised a thick brow to her before shifting his goods around nonchalantly.

"I mean, someone already took your flier off of my cart. I couldn't give it back to you even if I wanted to." He said clearing his throat. Rachael let go of the cart and took a step back.

"Are you serious? Who?" She asked.

"Probably that darn brat that comes through here every day. Stealing off my cart, ripping down papers, just being a nuisance in general. Point is, I ain't got your flier so nothing I can do. Sorry bud." Shrugged the man. Rachael's gaze dropped to the ground, her face scrunching up like she was thinking hard.

"Alright... well, thank you for your time anyway." She said dismissively. MC watched as she started to walk away from the cart. What was going on in this town?

"I can't believe they're all gone." Commented Rachael as they got back into her car. She was flabbergasted. MC nodded in agreement, shifting closer to Yoosung as he buckled his seat belt next to her.

"Why would someone just go around town pulling all of those down? There were so many lost signs all over the place..." said MC sadly.

She leaned onto Yoosung slowly, looking up as she felt him jerk in his seat. It hadn't seemed like it was possible but he looked even more tired than the day before. The bags under his eyes had only deepened. He swayed in his seat, eyes threatening to close. Yoosung looked as if he was using every bit of energy he had left just to keep them open. MC frowned. With Rachael within ear shot, however, she didn't know if she should mention anything about it. She was afraid Rachael might take it as an opportunity to start questioning them again if she heard her.

As they reached the restaurant MC and Yoosung filed out of the car, waving goodbye to Rachael. MC had to keep a close eye on Yoosung as they walked towards the entrance. He looked a bit wobbly and she was worried for his well being. Wasn't it a bit dangerous for him to have come to work like this? She hoped he would be able to handle himself.

It took Yoosung more tries to tie his apron than he was comfortable with admitting. The last two sleepless days coupled with his ever growing anxiety was wreaking havoc on his brain. Perhaps he should've stayed home today. With a few slaps to his face for good measure he shook his head. No, that would've been a terrible idea. He was more likely to fall asleep back home than he was if he was up and walking. Ice filled his insides at the thought of falling asleep. No, he couldn't chance it.

That day he had more than his fair share of accidents during his shift. He didn't think he'd ever stumbled so many times in a day in his entire life. Conversations sounded like jargon in his ears and he found himself asking handfuls of people to repeat themselves through the day. This was beginning to be a problem. It wasn't until after he broke a glass by accidentally wiping it off of the table that MC decided enough was enough and stepped in.

"Yoosung, you can't work like this." She hissed, having had dragged him over by the locker area. The fear of management catching her was completely overshadowed by her worry for her boyfriend. She just couldn't take it anymore.

"MC, I have to." Insisted Yoosung. MC shook her head vigorously. She didn't seem like she was going to let him get back to work any time soon.

"Yoosung... this isn't good for your health." She frowned. "You could hurt yourself like this." Yoosung looked down at the ground before his eyes flickered up to her's, fear gripping them.

"You don't understand... MC, I'm so scared I feel like I'm going to explode any second now. I can't sleep... I just can't. What if something happens? I'd never be able to see you again. Or anyone for that matter. It terrifies me." He said, tears welling in his bloodshot eyes. MC's heart ached to see him like this.

"But Seven didn't say if you went to sleep that would happen... I don't... I don't think you can control something like that. I'm worried about you... we should call Rachael and have her come get you." MC frowned. Yoosung's face scrunched in sorrow.

"I don't... I don't want to be away from you." He said softly.

"But you need your rest. Please." Insisted MC. Yoosung looked as if he was having an internal struggle as he bit at his lower lip, his eyes shifting about the ground. Finally, with a low sigh he slumped his shoulders.

"I... okay." He said in defeat. It felt as if lead had replaced his stomach as he spoke. There was nothing he wanted more than to stay awake until this entire ordeal was over. The very idea of lying down sent fear rushing through him but yet at the same time it felt like the only thing he wanted in the entire world. There was no getting around it. Even with his fear he needed to sleep.

MC pulled him into a tight hug. She had never been so relieved. A pair of weary arms rested around her lower back as Yoosung let his head fall onto her shoulder. His head weighed heavy on her and she had to wiggle him just to make sure he hadn't actually fallen asleep on her.

"You smell so nice." Came a soft whisper in her ear. The weight against her increased slightly as his arms held her tighter.

It was taking every ounce of his will to keep himself awake as he held onto her. He couldn't get over how amazing such a simple touch could relax him this much. If it had even been even just a few hours later he felt he wouldn't have been able to keep his eyes open in her comforting embrace. He felt terrible for making her worry like he had.

"Alright, come on. Let's get you home..."

Rachael pulled up to the restaurant, a serious expression adorning her face. She hadn't expected on having to pick them up for a couple more hours at least. Something was definitely going on. As she seen MC helping Yoosung walk out of the diner her eyes narrowed. As worried as she was her suspicions only grew stronger. When they got home, things would need to come out. She was going to make sure of it.

Buster barked happily from the front seat as Yoosung and MC slid into the back of Rachael's car. The loud noise caused Yoosung to wince, a headache forming deep in his skull. Staying awake so long had really taken a toll on him. He didn't know why it was so much harder for him than it used to be. The constant overflow of emotions running through him lately were probably to blame.

"Thank you for picking us up." Said MC softly as she helped Yoosung into his seat properly. The poor thing was as dazed as could be. Rachael merely grunted in response. MC was taken aback. She had never heard her friend answer in such an uncaring way. Guilt pooled in her lower abdomen. She sincerely hoped they weren't burdening her with this trip.

The drive home was spent in silence as Rachael's mind raced with questions. As soon as they were settled into the house she wanted to get right into it. She wasn't going to let this slip by this time. Her eyes glanced at her rear view to the passengers in her backseat. Yoosung looked absolutely ragged next to MC who wouldn't take her eyes off of him. Rachael trained her eyes back on the road and gripped the steering wheel tighter. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

As they walked inside Rachael made her way past her guests, standing in the middle of the hallway as she waited for them. Yoosung hobbled behind MC as they entered the house. MC looked at Rachael as she held onto her boyfriend. She looked more serious than MC thought was possible. Something was going on and she didn't like where it was headed.

"Uh... Rachael, I'm going to take Yoosung up to bed okay? He had a rough day and-" she started.

Rachael shook her head firmly, a hand pointing towards the living room. Cold sweat formed on MC's forehead at her gesture. A lump in her throat threatened to choke her. This wasn't good. Yoosung looked ahead with an equally worried face.

"No." Said Rachael simply. "We need to have a talk. Now." MC shuddered at her how stern her friend had become. It wasn't very often her friend got angry but this seemed to be one of those times. She didn't have the courage to disagree.

Yoosung swallowed thickly as they made their way into the living room. He didn't trust himself to sit and instead chose to lean against the closest wall as best he could. A strange feeling buzzed through him as his heart rate increased. He didn't like the feeling in the air. MC's eyes met his with concern. They both seemed to be on the same page here. There was no escaping it.

Rachael stood before them, her arms crossed. She could see the guilt practically dripping from their faces. There was no mistaking it, something was definitely up. Now it was time to figure out what.

"Both of you have been acting strange lately, avoiding my questions, lying to me... I know something's wrong so why won't you just tell me? I feel like you're trying to hide something and I don't like it. Yoosung you look like you've been getting sick or something, and MC, you constantly look as if you're about to cry. I can't take the evasion anymore. If something's wrong, please, tell me." Said Rachael, her voice turning from anger to desperation. She wanted nothing more than to help her friends. Frustration fueled her however. She couldn't help them if they kept hiding things from her.

"Rachael... really..." started MC.

"No, don't try telling me nothing's wrong. I know there is. I can see it, I'm not stupid. Guys. Please, I just want to help. It hurts seeing you both struggling by yourselves. That's why I opened my home to you. That's why I've helped you with everything that I have. I'm your friend. And as your friend, I think I deserve to know if the people close to me are suffering..." said Rachael, looking between them both. She didn't want it to have to come to this sort of altercation but there was no way around it. For all she knew one of them could be dying and here she was, none the wiser. She couldn't stand it.

"Maybe you should just tell her, MC." Said Yoosung softly. He had slid down the wall slightly in exhaustion.

MC visibly jumped on her spot on the couch. Rachael raised an eyebrow at his sudden confession. So she had been right after all. Now she was getting somewhere.

"Yoosung!" Said MC in surprise. He looked at her, defeat clear across his ragged face.

"I've been wanting to say something ever since I got here." He admitted. The lack of sleep appeared to be dulling his inhibitions. He didn't want to keep hiding this forever. It was time to stop hiding the truth.

"Tell me what?" Asked Rachael suspiciously. Had all of this really been going on since she first let them stay here? Exactly what was he getting at? She couldn't help but feel offended for being left out for so long.

"Yoosung are you sure?" MC asked seriously. Rachael eyed her as she avoided her gaze. MC couldn't believe what Yoosung was saying. Surely this was the lack of sleep talking? There was no way Rachael was going to believe a word of their story. Yoosung nodded slowly, having sunk completely onto the floor.

"Tell me what?" Repeated Rachael, her curiosity growing exponentially.

MC gave her friend a worried look. She wasn't prepared at all to reveal such a huge shock quite yet. This wasn't something you could just drop on someone out of the blue. She fiddled with her hands nervously as her eyes drifted to her feet.

"Well... I, I don't exactly know how to say it actually." She admitted, adrenaline rising inside of her.

"Just say it. I can handle it." Insisted Rachael as she watched her friend fumble on the couch. This was turning out to be even more serious than she thought.

"Okay... well..." started MC, biting at her lip. "Yoosung isn't... well, there's a problem. And I was going to tell you about it. Really, I was. I just, I didn't know how exactly to tell you."

The frustration was going to kill her. What was MC going on about? She desperately needed to know. Instead of further pestering her on the other hand, Rachael chose to stand and wait for her to finish her response. Yoosung sat quietly on the floor, his eyes trained on his girlfriend's every move.

"Do you remember that game I used to play?" Asked MC. Rachael looked at her in disbelief. Was she trying to change the subject on her? If so, that was probably the worst attempt she had ever seen.

"MC, now's not the time to be talking about that." Said Rachael. She just wanted to know what was going on with her friends. A silly dating game didn't matter right now.

"Actually it's extremely important." Said MC, braving her friends stare as she locked eyes with her. Her courage was building inside of her. There wasn't any more holding back now. She might as well let go and just tell her.

Rachael looked at her blankly before nodding. She still didn't know what a dumb game had to do with anything but at this rate she didn't care. If this helped her get to the bottom of the problem then so be it.

"Okay... remember a few weeks back? When you kept comparing Yoosung to one of the characters?" MC asked hesitantly. Here goes nothing, she guessed.

"Yes. How could I not?" Said Rachael, waiting for MC to just get on with it. Her eyes drifted over to Yoosung. He seemed much more alert than a moment ago.

"Okay... well..." said MC, her courage failing her. It was just too difficult to admit something crazy.

"It is me." Finished Yoosung bluntly. Rachael turned to him in shock. He couldn't be serious. After pouring her heart out to them they were going to try and pull her leg like this?

"What on earth are you talking about? I don't appreciate this running around thing you're doing here. What do you mean you 'are' him? That doesn't make any sense. What, do you just like that character a lot or something? Is that why MC likes you so much?" Said Rachael, her suspicions from way back when resurfacing. She had thought MC was better than this.

"N-no he's serious. I'm serious. He really is him, look, let me explain-" said MC carefully.

"Explain what? What, does he just like to dress up as the guy for you or something? I thought he seemed super familiar but I didn't know it was like that. Is Yoosung even your real name?" She asked accusingly to the poor man on the floor. Yoosung winced from her harsh words. It wasn't like he hadn't expected this but it still stung being questioned like this all over again.

"No, Rachael. He literally IS him. I know it sounds crazy but you have to believe me!" Said MC desperately. Rachael looked at her in frustration.

"What, you expect me to believe that he somehow magically popped out of your phone or something? MC I'm sorry to break to to you but that's not how things work. I've been so worried about you two and you want to tell me something like this?" Rachael asked in disbelief. Just who had she been letting stay at her house this entire time? She felt so used. What had this man done to her friend?

"Well, that's n-no exactly how it happened. He actually blew it up." She said truthfully, wincing as her words left her mouth. It even sounded insane to herself.

"I still don't know how I got here exactly." Confessed Yoosung. "I just know that I'm forever grateful to you for helping me." Rachael scoffed.

"You can't be serious. I can't believe this." Said Rachael, almost laughing. Both MC and Yoosung grimaced. "This isn't some fairy tale..."

"How can I prove it to you?" Said MC, standing up from the couch. Rachael looked at her with her eyebrows raised. Prove it to her? That was impossible! This was impossible! What were they playing at?

"I'm serious. Look, Rachael, you're my best friend. I wouldn't lie to you about something as insane as this. I know it sounds crazy. I wouldn't believe me either but you have to trust me! We don't have much time left anyway..." said MC. A feeling like static filled her as the nervousness faded. Pure adrenaline rushed through her. Yoosung looked equally as determined. His and MC's reputation was on the line.

"What are you talking about? Are you... are you leaving?" Asked Rachael incredulously.

"No, not yet, I don't know... okay, Yoosung is at least. I, I don't know if I am. It's dangerous and Seven doesn't even know if I'll be able to go with him back to his dimension at this point. Yoosung hasn't been able to sleep because he's afraid he might not even wake up again. He's not from here and the place he is might not be connected to our world much longer. He could lose his mind for it." MC said frantically. Rachael couldn't believe what she was hearing. Different dimensions, some guy with a number for a name, what was all of this? Even through the confusion the strange name nagged at her.

"What a minute, I know that name. That's another guy from your game isn't it? He was the hacker guy you told me about." Said Rachael. She was surprised she had retained as much information about her friend's game as she had.

"Hacker?" Asked Yoosung, confused. MC's eyes widened slightly. He wasn't supposed to know about that part.

"What, you don't know? How could you not know if you're 'supposedly' from that world? Isn't he supposed to be your friend? If you're going to pretend to be something at least get your facts right before doing it." Said Rachael, only growing more frustrated by the minute.

"No! Rachael, he has no idea about that in the first place! Even in the game he didn't know, you can't expect him to know just because he's not in it any more." Insisted MC. This wasn't helping her in the slightest. Rachael brushed by her remark.

"You know what, you mentioned another name before that sounded familiar. Something with a J. Exactly how devoted have you been to this persona of yours? Has this really been going on the entire time?" Asked Rachael, absolutely at a loss.

"Jumin. His name is Jumin Han." Answered Yoosung. "And it's not a persona... it took forever to convince MC of it too. But it still hurts when you tell me I'm not who I say I am." Admitted Yoosung. Rachael could see the hurt in his eyes but couldn't take it seriously. None of this made any sense.

"What, so you had to convince her too?" She scoffed.

"When I woke up in her house she about attacked me with her hairbrush because neither of us had any idea what was going on." He said. Rachael only seemed to grow angrier. "I didn't know how I got there. One second I'm playing LOLOL-"

"What in the hell is LOLOL?"

"- And the next I'm thrown up against a wall. She thinks I'm a burglar, there's smoke everywhere, and I almost have a heart attack. I didn't believe it either, if that convinces you of anything." He admitted. "It took me so long to come to terms with what I am and where I came from. I've missed my friends, my family, and everyone else from back home every day. But I love MC. I don't know what pulled me to her but here I am. And now I find out if I don't go back I might go into a coma and never wake up again...

I feel terrible for what I've put you through but I promise I won't be a bother to you for very much longer. I've been so scared for the past couple of days. I can't even put into words how messed up I've been. I can't sleep, I can't eat... everything is still so confusing but I'm figuring it out as I go. I'm sorry I've upset you, I'm sorry this seems so unbelievable, I'm sorry about everything. You don't deserve this. You're one of the nicest people I've ever met and I hate that I've had to hide this from you. I don't blame you if you don't believe me, but please, don't be mad at MC. She didn't have anything to do with this. Blame me instead."

Rachael didn't know what to say. No matter how hard she searched his eyes she couldn't see a trace of a lie. Spending so much time with MC had made her more than capable of spotting when someone was being untruthful but she couldn't see a single thing wrong with what he said.

What he said sounded ridiculous but he clung to it so desperately she couldn't help but second guess herself. No, this was insane. Why would they say something like this to her? But she knew they weren't bad people so why else would they come up with such a crazy story to tell her? It didn't make any sense.

"Please, Rachael... you have to believe us. Why would I lie about something like this? I know it sounds insane but it's the truth. Here, look." Said MC, pulling out her phone. She went into her history and quickly pulled one of the links. The news article about her old game filled the screen and she handed it to her friend.

"That started happening the second he appeared in my house. It really is him. I don't know how, and I don't know why but it is." Said MC firmly. This was her only chance to get her friend to believe her. She didn't know what would happen if she didn't, they were in far too deep now.

Rachael took the phone from her and read the article on the screen. The game had apparently had a number of serious things happen to it recently. As she checked the date she realized it was indeed a few days before she even knew Yoosung existed. Was this really a matter of coincidence? This looked so serious.

As she looked at the pictures on screen of the character in question she looked back at Yoosung, now standing next to her friend. The resemblance was uncanny. She had never really paid attention to his eyes until then. For the longest time she thought his eyes had been some weird shade of blue but the longer she looked at them the more surprised she felt. There was no mistaking it. His eyes were purple. How had she not noticed that? Had she really ignored something so unbelievable when it was right in front of her face?

Her eyes stared at the screen again. If something like that was possible, then what did that make her situation? She felt sick to her stomach. What was happening? This couldn't be real, could it? The way her friends looked at her made her insides squirm. Not a shred of doubt crossed their faces. No one could cling to a story this insane and still look as honest and determined as they did. Her head hurt.

"I... I need to take a walk." She said softly, handing back MC's phone. She was beyond confused at this point and didn't know what to believe. This was way too big of a deal to just let it slip by. She needed to think.

MC and Yoosung watched as Rachael walked away from them, her hand pressed against her head. The gentle opening and closing of the front door reverberated throughout the otherwise silent house. This situation seemed all too familiar to MC. She could only hope that her friend would trust in them and come back safely. She didn't know what she would do with herself if Rachael didn't believe them...


	19. Chapter 19 Understanding

Chapter 19  
Understanding

It can't be true. None of this made any sense. Different dimensions? Video games come to life? What was this, some kind of anime that she had somehow been sucked into? This was just too much to take in all at once. There had to be a different explanation!

Rachael sat on the cold metal bench outside in the brisk evening air. She had been wandering for the past few hours, her head spinning from all that had happened back at her house. It had just been too much. She couldn't take it and needed to leave. Her mind screamed that this was insanity, but her heart told her there was something more going on here. Something much more.

As much as she didn't want to believe it, things seemed to fit so well when she considered their story. Though the story itself didn't fit in with reality and that's what left her stumped. A nagging feeling pulled at her heart. Why would they lie about something so huge? There wasn't any logical reason for it. MC wasn't that kind of person. She wouldn't make up something like this. In fact, she couldn't.

For as long as Rachael had known her MC had been no good at telling fibs. Even the tiniest lie would force her body into being a dead give away. Avoiding eye contact, the constant fidgeting, the way her voice would falter. But not this time. Even with how baffling her story had been she had been so dedicated to it. Her words were so strong and serious. If the words that were coming out of her mouth weren't so impossible sounding Rachael would've believed her in a heart beat. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Rachael leaned against the hard metal backing of the bench and stared up to the cloudy sky. Why was this so hard? How could she be expected to just accept this? And say she did accept it. What was she supposed to do with this information? A man had materialized out of her friends phone from a different dimension that just so happened to be a video game and was in love with her friend. Her friend was totally fine with this and even recuperated his feelings. Now she finds out they'll be leaving her sometime in the near future? Her heart ached. She didn't want to lose her friends.

Her friends... after all that happened this much was still true. They were her friends. Even if they might possibly be insane. She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. No, she shouldn't think those things about them. Even if it sounded crazy, what if they really were telling the truth? The possibility was beyond slim but still, what if? She would feel beyond horrible for doubting them if that were the case.

Still, the feeling remained. How was she supposed to believe something so... unbelievable? Her head hurt from the war raging inside of it. This was just too much for her to take. The possibilities of their story being the truth or a lie were both equally as unnerving. If they were lying, she would feel betrayed. It would hurt to think they would try to make up something so ridiculous to force onto her. But if they were telling the truth... She couldn't even begin to think of the scenarios that would take place.

With a deep breath she stood from the bench, stretching her arms. It was no use. She would just have to go back home and sort things out at this rate. No more thinking by herself. If this is what they insisted really happened, and they were this insistent on it, then she would give it a chance. She couldn't believe she was even considering it. There wasn't really any other choice though, was there? They were her friends. She needed to at least give this story a chance.

"I can't believe they're going to leave me soon..." Rachael whispered out loud to herself. Sorrow fell onto her as she sighed into the cool air. She had no idea where they were going to go or why. Perhaps it really was time to head back home. There were millions of questions zooming through her head that needed answers.

As she turned to walk down the sidewalk her eyes caught sight of something strange. A quick flash of black disappeared around the corner of the building she was standing in front of. She stared in surprise, frozen in place. It had happened so fast she hadn't had time to react properly. With a shake of disbelief she jogged over to the edge of the sidewalk. As her eyes scanned the small crowd walking along the side of the building she frowned. Whatever it had been, it was gone now.

A prickling sensation swam through her veins. A sudden feeling of unease had overtaken her. Something felt... wrong. Had MC's constant paranoia rubbed off on her? No, it couldn't be. Something was definitely wrong. She needed to go home right now. Why hadn't she taken her car?

Yoosung and MC sat on the couch, their hearts filled with worry as they waited for their friend to return. Rachael had been gone for hours now and MC was starting to have difficulties keeping her anxiety in check. Yoosung had assured her she would come back eventually. This was her house after all. Even if she didn't believe them she would have to come back eventually. MC had accepted this for the first hour or so, clinging to the idea to keep herself calm, but seeds of doubt had begun sprouting up inside her mind all over again.

Surely she wasn't going to just up and leave them forever? Rachael wouldn't do something so reckless. At least, that's what MC believed. She worried for what must be going through Rachael's mind. It was a lot to have thrust at you out of the blue but she hadn't given her or Yoosung any other choice. She was tired of lying to her. Though if it weren't for Yoosung's urging she wasn't sure if she would have been able to confess at all. As much as the guilt had been eating at her core, the possibility of losing her friend over something so huge was even more upsetting. But it was too late now. The cards were on the table and all she could do was wait.

A sudden bang sounded throughout the house. MC and Yoosung both jumped up off of the couch, turning to face the direction of the front door. The sound of Buster's incessant barking began to fill the air as he came lumbering down the stairs. MC and Yoosung shared a look of worry before heading out into the hallway. Buster scurried behind Yoosung, about trained towards the door as he let out another round of barks.

The handle jiggled noisily for a moment before going still. A feeling of unease filled the air. Buster's ongoing growls were the only source of noise on the suddenly quiet house. MC felt a warm hand clasp her own as Yoosung stepped in front of her. He looked determined.

Before MC could say a word the front door burst open before them. Yoosung released her hand and moved forward, fully ready to take on whatever danger had decided to come inside the house. Instead however, the face of Rachael appeared from behind the door and he stumbled in his tracks, tripping over his own feet.

Rachael let out a small scream and thrust her foot forward, making direct contact with Yoosung's chest. He tumbled backwards and flopped onto his back. MC and Rachael both gasped in surprise, running over to the poor injured boy. Yoosung lay coughing and sputtering on the ground. A dull ache had already started forming inside his abdomen.

"Oh my god, Yoosung I'm so sorry!" Yelled Rachael, falling to her knees beside him. MC knelt down as well. Her hands slid underneath him as she tried to help him sit back up. Another strong fit of coughs fell from his throat as he struggled to right himself.

"It's okay," he insisted before hacking again, his hand cupping his midsection. "I almost attacked you too." Yoosung gasped for a second before clearing his throat with a groan.

"I just, I thought you were someone else and I didn't know why someone was running at me!" Said Rachael in a panic. "I just had this really bad feeling and came home as fast as I could! Oh Yoosung I'm so so so sorry!" She threw her arms around him, practically sobbing her apology at him. MC rubbed his back softly, relieved that he was at least okay.

"Geez you both scared me so bad." Said MC, her hand still resting on her boyfriend's back as he caught his breath. "Rachael I was so worried when you left, are you okay? You're not... you're not mad at us are you?"

Rachael looked from Yoosung over to MC behind him. A contemplative expression crossed her face before her eyes softened. She smiled softly as a deep sigh escaped her.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm just glad you guys are okay... well mostly. Oh Yoosung, I'm still so sorry are you sure you're okay? Do you want me to get you an ice pack?" Rachael asked with concern. Yoosung looked up at her with tired eyes and nodded slowly. Anything to make the pain stop.

The three friends sat in the living room, Yoosung with an ice pack under his shirt as MC rubbed his shoulder gently. Rachael sat across from them in her recliner. Things had looked so similar only a few hours ago. Thankfully, the atmosphere had taken a turn for the better. No longer did animosity fill the air. Things could finally come out freely.

"So... A video game, huh?" Asked Rachael hesitantly. MC perked up and looked at her friend as Yoosung winced.

"Oh, uh, hey you can just forget all of that if you want... I know it's not exactly-" said MC in a flurry. Rachael held up a finger to silence her. She shook her head softly.

"Nope. It's out in the open now. No going back." Rachael insisted. Yoosung lifted his head to face her.

"Does that mean you're upset with us?" He asked. Another pulse of pain radiated from his middle and he winced, holding the pack closer.

"No... no I'm not upset. I actually don't really know how I feel." Rachael admitted. She leaned back in her recliner and gazed towards the ceiling. The clouds had been a much better view. It was too bad the company had sucked. Her eyes flickered back to her friends. "Tell me, are you guys really serious about all this?"

MC and Yoosung nodded without hesitation. Happiness welled up inside MC as her friend looked over to her. There was a chance she would believe them.

"Yes, completely." Insisted MC. Yoosung nodded in agreement.

"But... how? How did this happen?" Asked Rachael. She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Instead of pushing it back anymore however, she decided she might as well ask everything she was thinking. Maybe if she got a better idea of things it wouldn't feel so crazy to her. She could be wrong, though.

Yoosung and MC shared a glance before looking back to Rachael. Yoosung bit his lip before letting out a groan. This was certainly going to take awhile.

"We're not really sure." He admitted. "My friend Seven mentioned something about dimensions, a connection, and something about code."

"I think, from what I've been told anyway, is that he's from a different place than us but they touch because of this game." Said MC, lifting her phone into view. Rachael could see a messaging app open on her screen. "That game I downloaded must have been some sort of bridge connecting the two. But I guess according to Seven that connection is getting weaker because Yoosung is missing from the code. Or something."

"But, if that's even possible, how would he be able to get across? What exactly happened?" Asked Rachael curiously. The idea still hurt her head but she couldn't deny that her curiosity was slowly taking over. MC frowned, scratching the back of her neck. Yoosung looked at her with a small shrug.

"Well, we don't really know how he got here exactly. I do remember what I was doing before though. It was that day you asked me to go out for drinks but I said I wanted to go home." MC answered, placing a finger to her lips thoughtfully.

"You didn't really have things to do that day, did you?" Asked Rachael. If they were in the middle of getting the truth out of things she figured she might as well ask. MC looked away guiltily. With a small sigh she shook her head no.

"No... I just, I felt bad having you spend money on me. That and, I don't really like drinking anyway. It always just makes me feel sad and I was already feeling kind of bad. So I wanted to go home and cry." Said MC softly. Both Yoosung and Rachael frowned at her.

"You should have told me... we could have done something else if you wanted. I just wanted to help you have some fun, maybe meet a guy. It looks like you didn't really need my help with that part though." Rachael said with a small laugh. "Maybe it's good that you didn't go... I was going to try and set you up with, well, you know. I think things turned out much better.

MC grimaced. She knew exactly who she was referring to and didn't like the idea one bit. There were definitely no regrets when it came to that particular night. She wondered how things would have turned out had she gone along with Rachael that night. Whatever would have happened, it wouldn't even be comparable to her life as of now.

"Yeah... well, um, as I was saying. When I got home I just kind of got sad. I just," MC looked over to Yoosung, a small blush rising to her cheeks. It still felt odd to talk about this in front of him. It wasn't really the time to be shy, unfortunately. "Do you remember the game I was obsessed with? And how I was obsessed with... well... you know."

"Yes, you were madly in love with the many drawings of Yoosung on your phone from that game I remember." Said Rachael, a smirk pulling at her lips. Yoosung blushed, his eyes trained to the floor. It felt odd to listen to them talk about her past like this. Especially when it was involving him. It was almost like she used to be his secret admirer. As long as he didn't think about it too hard.

"Thanks... Rachael. Yes but, anyway, so I ended up sitting on my couch and I just... I cried. I had been so sad because I just wanted to have him for real." MC said, her blush deepening. It felt like she was talking as if Yoosung wasn't even there. She was much too embarrassed to say anything to him directly.

"I really, really loved him. Well, I thought I did," she said trailing off. Yoosung's eyes flashed up to her in surprise. She looked at him and gave a soft smile, her face beat red with the effort it took not to look away. "Turns out I wasn't quite there yet. Not until now anyway..."

Yoosung flushed deeply before giving her a smile in return.

"I love you too." He said happily. MC smiled at him again before returning her attention back to her friend.

"Anyway, I had wanted to be with him so badly that it made me cry. It's a bit embarrassing saying that out loud but it's true. That's when the weird things started happening." Said MC. Rachael raised a brow as she listened carefully. "My phone just kind of opened my game on its own. I decided I didn't have anything better to do so I started playing it again, except this time it was different. Everything started messing up. The text got all weird and so did my choices."

Rachael listened carefully, absorbing every word her friend said. She could tell she was being entirely honest with the way she was telling her story. Perhaps they were telling the truth after all.

"Then, out of nowhere my phone starts vibrating like crazy. It burned so I dropped it and it started drifting all over the floor. I honestly thought it was going to explode and I was just going to die right then and there. So, doing the only thing I could thing of, I jumped behind my couch. Because you know, that will protect me." MC laughed. It was funny looking back on it all now. "Then this big explosion sounded and a bang went off in my room. When I looked over the back of my couch I saw him just up against my wall on the floor. I couldn't believe it."

"I'll say, it took forever convincing you who I was." Interjected Yoosung. "You tried to assault me with your hairbrush!" He laughed. Rachael snorted from her recliner and covered her mouth.

"You were going to hit him with your brush?" She asked, thoroughly amused. MC nodded sheepishly.

"In my defense I thought he was a burglar or something." She said raising her hands. "How was I supposed to believe he just blew up out of my phone?" Rachael shrugged with a nod, that was a fair point. After all she was still trying to accept everything they were telling her.

"Yeah but after I convinced her she passed out right onto the floor." Snickered Yoosung, earning a playfully frustrated nudge from his girlfriend. He winced slightly and she immediately apologized, hugging him softly.

Rachael watched with soft eyes at the scene before her. They really did seem like any other couple in love. Nothing seemed fishy at all other than how the one half came to be. She couldn't help but consider the things they were telling her. It seemed so natural the way they said it all.

"I still don't like that you ran out like that." Said MC, her voice filled with sadness as her attention stayed with Yoosung. Rachael watched as they talked amongst themselves. "I was so worried... I didn't know what was going to happen to you."

"I'm sorry... I was just really, really messed up from it all. I mean, I thought I wasn't even supposed to exist." He said, locking eyes with her. "I'm sorry. I'll never do that again.

"Good. Because I never want to see you sick like that again." She said, cupping his cheeks. "You don't know what I went through to fix you." Her own cheeks darkened at the memory. She would never get the image of his puppy underwear out of her head.

"Uh, guys?" Interrupted Rachael. The couple on the couch jumped in surprise. They had almost forgotten they were talking to her for a moment.

"Oh! S-sorry!" Stuttered MC, pulling her hands back down. "Well, there's really not much more to say after that... you kind of found out about him a day or two later I think." Rachael's eyes widened in surprise. So they really had just met around then. If all of this was true then they had really been through a roller coaster of events the last few weeks. She couldn't blame them for being so anxious.

"What about you guys leaving me?" Rachael asked, her voice growing sad. "You never told me about that part? What's going on? Do you not like it here with me?"

MC shook her head furiously. Even Yoosung looked shocked to hear Rachael say something so far from the truth. It wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. That seemed to be the way with a lot of things lately.

"No!" Said Yoosung quickly. "That's not it at all. You're a very good friend and I can't thank you enough for letting me stay in your home. It's just, when MC said earlier, about the... connection." His voice faltered and he shivered. "If I don't go something very bad will happen to me. I have to go back."

MC and Yoosung both looked at the ground solemnly before their eyes met. It was still so terrifying to think about. Unfortunately, there was only one thing they could do in their situation. MC took in a deep breath and turned back to her friend.

"Rachael, I'm sorry for not telling you all of this before hand..." MC apologized.

"Don't be, I mean, I can see why you didn't. It's still hurting my brain trying to wrap my head around all of this." Said Rachael with a shrug. "So, you're going with him then? When?"

"Well, we're not really actually sure quite yet." Admitted MC. "I'm not even sure if I can go, it's really dangerous. Seven is trying to work with the code or something right now. I might end up staying here and never see him again..."

Rachael looked at her lap thoughtfully. This really was a lot to take in. Her friend might be leaving her forever soon and there was nothing she could do about it. Or on the alternative she might be stuck here without the love of her life when Yoosung left without her. As she looked up she saw the couple before her lock eyes again. They both looked so sad. Yoosung clasped MC's hand in his own. Either way, it seemed all of their lives were going to drastically change soon one way or the other.

"Well... we might as well make the best of it." Said Rachael slowly, making to stand up from the chair. Yoosung and MC looked at her in surprise. "What, you expect me to be upset at my best friends forever? No, that's not me." She finished with a smile. MC's eyes widened and Yoosung's jaw fell open. They couldn't believe what she was saying. Were things really going to be alright between them?

"Best... friends?" Said Yoosung, unsure if he should trust his ears. Rachael nodded affirmatively.

"Of course." She smiled. "Now, come on, enough of this sad talk. Let's go out somewhere. My treat."

MC smiled before looking to her boyfriend. He still looked so tired beside her. Maybe it would be better to stay home for now. Rachael seemed to have noticed her friend's dilemma as well.

"Well, maybe after Yoosung gets some rest." She laughed. Yoosung smiled sheepishly before nodding. Yes, he really should go to bed.

Yoosung's eyes fluttered open as he lay on the bed. It felt like he had been sleeping forever. Moonlight filtered softly into the room from the open window across from him. It must already be well into the night. With a yawn he rolled over on his side. He was surprised to notice MC wasn't laying beside him.

"What..?" He said in confusion, pulling himself up on to his elbows. An arm snaked around his middle from behind him causing him to gasp in surprise. He turned around on the bed to find MC cuddled up close to him. How had he missed her laying on the other side of him?

"MC?" He asked softly. "What time is?"

But she didn't answer. Instead, she placed a finger lightly to his lips, shushing him softly. He swallowed thickly as a blush crept up onto his cheeks. His lips parted with a sigh as her hand slipped onto his cheek, caressing him softly. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he wasn't about to stop it.

With half lidded eyes he watched as MC let her hand drift down to his neck, her fingers leaving goosebumps trailing down his skin. A shiver ran through him as her hand cradled his jaw gently. His eyes locked with hers in a haze. As she leaned in he was momentarily surprised as her face ducked under his. A soft groan escaped his lips as sweet kisses peppered across his throat. His hand reflexively clenched at the bed sheets.

"M-MC," he shivered before biting his lip. Her lips pressed against his collarbone making his head roll back against his pillow. "Aaahh wh-what are you doing?"

"Something I know you've wanted for a long time, Yoosung~" said MC softly, her voice warm against his ear. A warm flick of her tongue against his earlobe left him speechless. His hands gripped the sheets tighter and a shiver rippled through him. He didn't know how much if this he could take.

As her lips trailed down his neck a whine escaped his lips. He could feel himself stiffen between his legs and a sense of embarrassment overcame him. His heart wouldn't stop pounding against his chest. It felt like he might have a heart attack at any moment. In an effort to hide his embarrassment he tried to cross his legs at the knee. A pair of hands wrenched them open again, causing him to gasp.

"No, none of that." MC said, rubbing her hands along his inner thighs. His back arched involuntarily at her touch as another whine fell from his parted lips. This couldn't actually be happening. It felt so wrong to be happening so suddenly. But at the same time, he didn't want it to stop. Every part of him felt so good to have her hands running over him.

He gasped as her mouth fell to his throat again. A warm wetness encased the bit of skin between her lips. His head was spinning. Every inch if him tingled with pleasure as she made her way down, kissing every bit of exposed skin. Everything drifted into a fog behind his eyes as he lost himself completely.

"Are you ready baby?" She cooed, her face resting against his mid section. A warm pulsing sensation radiated through his core. His words caught in his throat. All he could do was nod weakly, his brain unable to function with the pleasure coursing through him. He just didn't want her to stop.

Just before her hands could slip under his pants his eyes fluttered open again. Blinding sunlight stung his face and he snapped them closed again. With a groan he rolled onto his side to escape the offending light. His mind felt groggy. What was going on?

"Ng... Yoosung? You awake?" MC asked sleepily from beside him. He felt her shift behind him as a yawn reached his ears. His eyes snapped open. It had been a dream? A deep blush flooded his face as he buried his hands in his face. Of course it had been. There was no way something like that could have actually been happening. As he moved underneath the sheets again in embarrassment a strange cold feeling stuck to his thighs. A mental scream rang through his brain.

This was bad.


	20. Chapter 20 Revelations

Chapter 20

Revelations

The last few days had been a roller coaster of emotions for every member of the household. Rachael seemed particularly shaken from the entire ordeal.. Things just seemed so surreal to her now. It had taken quite a bit of time for her to completely come to terms with her friends' current situation and it was rather hard on her. So much information, and quite ludicrous sounding information mind you, had been delivered to her all at once. However, even through the insanity of it all she had to trust her gut. She knew they were telling the truth to her. Though how any of made even a lick of sense she still couldn't quite understand. With all of this new information thrust upon her she still seemed to be stuck on one crucial part. She didn't think she was really ready to lose either of them.

Rachael sat on her couch sluggishly watching T.V. by herself as the clock struck 11pm. Buster was busy nestling sleepily into her lap. He had been even more cuddly than usual and she was beyond happy because of this. It was a good thing he didn't seem like much of a biter. When it came to her, anyway. Yoosung on the other hand was a different story. The little guy just couldn't seem to keep his teeth off of him. Rachael laughed to herself at the memory of Buster trying to chew Yoosung's pants against his will for the 20th time that week. The way MC had had to bribe Buster off of poor Yoosung with treats had just been the icing on the cake. It was going to be strange not having them around much longer.

Her life was moving at a strange pace as of late. Things with her job weren't going very well, her schooling was becoming almost unbearable, and her friends might very well be leaving her behind to deal with everything all on her own. A feeling of sorrow welled in her chest. The loneliness was already pulling her in. She hadn't a clue what she was going to do all on her own once they left her. Sure, she had friends at work for now but what was the guarantee she would even be around there much longer? She couldn't bear it.

A tiny yawn pulled her away from her dark thoughts and she looked down to see Buster stretching languidly across her lap. He was already starting to get even bigger than when they first found him. He must have gained probably near five to ten pounds already. It hadn't been so long ago and he already overflowed over her lap. She smiled and placed her hand lovingly on top of his head, giving him a good scratch. At least she still had him to keep her company through all of this. That at least was enough to calm her for now. As she began to pet him more her hand slipped down over his neck and she paused. A small bump had slid under her fingers as she stroked along his fur. She hadn't noticed that before. How strange.

Her fingers stroked the small lump carefully, considering what it could possibly be. It seemed strange that he would have something like this so suddenly. She hoped he wasn't developing a tumor or anything. No, perhaps it was just a bug bite. He did like to roll around the grass a lot after all. A tick? She parted his fur curiously over the bump and saw no signs of the invading parasite. Maybe she should look him over in case of fleas instead. Could a flea leave a bump like this just from a bite? Perhaps a bath was in order. She couldn't recall him ever having one the entire time he had been staying with them at her house.

It was just then that a thought struck her. If they, or at least she herself, would be taking care of this puppy indefinitely, the poor thing should at least be checked out by a vet. She didn't know why the idea hadn't crossed her mind sooner. There was no way she was willing to give him up at this point anyway. The only logical next step in her new pet parenting routine would be to schedule him for a check up. Especially with the new little lump she discovered on his neck. That would definitely need to be looked over. When had he gotten such a lump anyway? Or had that always been there and she just hadn't noticed it? She certainly hoped not.

After calling the nearest veterinarian in town she managed to schedule Buster's first appointment. He would need to get a series of shots along with a nice little health checkup. She had made sure to bring up her initial cause for concern to the vet as well. However, they assured her that as long as the bump didn't grow any larger or he didn't show any signs of pain or discomfort that he should be fine for now until the appointment. It was only a week away but Rachael still felt a little nervous. She hoped it wouldn't turn out to be anything too serious and that the vet was right. It was probably nothing.

Yoosung picked at his plate as the three of them sat around the kitchen table. Rachael had cooked a fantastic breakfast once again but he wasn't really feeling like eating very much this morning. It wasn't like he didn't want to though or that it didn't look good to him. On the contrary, it looked absolutely delicious. The problem wasn't the food itself but that his stomach was just currently too full with something else that even the thought of eating was sending his head spinning. This was nothing like the ordeal he had been experiencing mere days ago though however, thankfully. After their little intervention a few nights prior and some quality sleep he was indeed feeling better. This had nothing to do with that. No, he had something else rooting itself deep in his mind that caused his emotions to scramble.

Ever since he had awoken that fateful morning with a stain between his legs he had been having a tireless mental battle within himself. This wasn't like him. Usually it was so much easier to control himself. But now felt entirely different. No matter what he did he just couldn't seem get his mind off of MC. Sure, usually his mind was preoccupied with nothing but thoughts of her to begin with, but never quite like this. A warm tingling sensation radiated through him. There it was again. He flushed deeply in his seat. There just wasn't any other way around it. He was unbearably horny.

He groaned inwardly to himself before attempting to regain his composure. Seated next to him, MC happily scooped away at her breakfast, completely unaware of the turmoil her boyfriend was currently going through. Finally Yoosung understood what Zen had told him so many times before. Yoosung really thought that he would be different, that he wouldn't get those almost uncontrollable thoughts and urges. There was no way he would lose himself so badly. He had been wrong.

It seemed that every single night he had been having similar dreams since the first one. Dreams he was much too embarrassed about to ever utter aloud. Though he couldn't help himself from thinking back on them from time to time. His stomach flipped. He had it bad. Sometimes his thoughts would drift, wondering if she had ever had anything similar happen to herself. Yoosung poked at a piece of egg on his plate and sighed. He didn't know anything about how girls worked in that department. Sure he had read a few things, watched a few... slightly less tasteful things, but this was nothing like those things. This was real life.

He had to wonder if they even ever had these kinds of problems? He felt ignorant and ashamed. Did this make him dirty? Was he a bad boyfriend for feeling this way? He had never had a girlfriend before so his experience was beyond lacking. In fact, he wasn't even sure exactly when he was supposed to be feeling these types of things in a relationship. Was this too early? According to Rachael things like this were perfectly natural at a time like this but he wasn't so sure. It just felt so... foreign. Things were still pretty much the same, and yet so different. Sure he had always wanted to shower her in kisses and love, but lately the exact location he wanted to was starting to shift lower. He never knew being in a relationship would cause problems like this.

"Yoosung? You doing okay there 'hon?" Asked MC, finally looking over to her boyfriend who currently had his head resting in his palms. He looked up quickly, his cheeks a soft pink. MC wondered if maybe he was getting sick. He had been acting rather strange lately. Not like before either. She mostly chalked it up to nerves with all that was going on at the moment though. Everything was mostly resolved between the three of them thankfully, so there wasn't anything to worry about there. Maybe he was still nervous about what Seven had said. He didn't seem to be showing any signs of the dimensions breaking yet however so she could rule that out for now.

"Oh, yeah I'm okay. Just a little, um, hot." Yoosung answered, not exactly lying. Though he didn't really think he quite fit the traditional meaning of the word. Maybe he was half telling the truth. He couldn't help but stare at her a little longer than necessary. Her lips looked so soft and pink right now, he wondered what they might feel like if... No, snap out of it!

"You could open a window or something if you needed to, dude." Commented Rachael as she busied herself over by the sink. She had made a small dog approved breakfast for Buster as well and was finishing cleaning of the bits of mess around the counters. Buster whined from her feet.

"Oh! By the way, I almost forgot to mention it but I scheduled Buster to get a checkup at the vet's office in about a week. Since you guys should be leaving soonish I thought I should probably start taking more responsibility for the little guy." Said Rachael as she set down the small doggy bowl. Buster immediately face-planted into the delicious meal. Rachael couldn't help but giggle.

"I didn't even think about that... Oh geez, I'm sorry Rachael." Said MC, realizing some of the gravity to the situation. She never even thought about what would happen with the puppy after they were gone. There must be tons of bills to be paid looking after a dog full time all by yourself.

"Nah, it's no problem at all." Rachael said, waving her off. "I love this little dope so I don't mind keeping him. I don't think I could give him up even if I wanted to." she laughed, scratching the spotted puppy behind one of his ears. He didn't seem to even notice as he munched away at his food. Buster certainly seemed to have a one tracked mind.

"Besides," She continued. "I found a little lump on his neck last night and I wanted to get it checked out."

Yoosung looked mortified.

"A lump? Is he alright?" Asked Yoosung in a panic. A memory of Sally flashed through his mind. He didn't want to see anything bad like that happen again. In his fit of an emotional outburst he hadn't even realizes he had stood up from his seat. MC looked equally as concerned.

"The vet said it should be okay for now" Rachael assured them. "But that's why I wanted to take him to get it checked out. They told me if anything changes in his behavior, or if the lump changes at all, then I could bring him in sooner. For now though, things should be alright."

Yoosung felt a bit better from her words but the clenching feeling from before still stayed in his chest. He sincerely hoped nothing was wrong with Buster. It wasn't like he was even an older dog, he was just a baby. He was a sweet boy. Even if he did like to treat him as a personal chew toy Yoosung didn't know if he would be able to handle if something happened to him.

"If you're sure..." He said slowly. He knew to trust the vet's opinion. If they thought things would be okay for now then they should be. If he had learned anything from last time it was always to always listen to what the vet said. Though he made it a point to himself to keep an eye on the beloved pup until further notice. Just to make sure nothing seemed off at all about him in the days to come.

"Is there any medicine you could give him to maybe make it go away?" Asked MC, no longer feeling the desire to eat. That seemed to be a running theme lately between the couple as of late.

"No, the vet just said to keep an eye on it. It's not hurting him or anything from what I've seen." Said Rachael, her finger tracing over the back of Buster's neck. As usual he paid her no mind. "He doesn't even seem bothered by it actually. If I hadn't felt it for myself by accident last night I would never have even thought anything was wrong with him."

MC sat in thought for a moment. There never really seemed to be a break for her or either of her friends. It was just one thing after another. Especially lately. It almost felt like things were building up to something. Sometimes she even felt like she was going to explode. It wasn't all bad though. Putting the current situation aside, things had actually been going mostly alright for her now that the secret keeping issue had been taken care of. Her relationship with her boyfriend even felt like it was becoming even closer than before. Even if he did seem a little spastic lately. He certainly was getting up a lot earlier than her lately as well.

"Yoosung, have you gotten any news from Seven yet?" Asked MC as she stood to clean up the table. Her food lay half eaten and though she didn't feel she had the stomach to finish the rest, they had to head out to work soon anyway. Might as well start cleaning up now.

"No, not yet. Well nothing important yet anyway. He told me he's tweaking some things still but he should have some news for us pretty soon." Replied Yoosung, following her lead. He picked up his plate and brought it over to the counter which was now free of food scraps thanks to Rachael.

"I hope he says something soon." Said MC with a sigh. "The waiting is making me anxious."

"You're not the only one." Pouted Rachael. "It's still weird knowing you guys won't be around much longer..." She frowned and turned back towards the sink. It was still hard to try and accept the inevitable. Not that she was upset at them about it exactly. She was happy Yoosung would be able to go back home soon, and she was happy that MC had found someone to be with and that their relationship was as strong as it was. But sometimes it still stung that she would be left all alone because of all of this. A hand gently clasped onto her shoulder.

"Rachael... I can't even say how sorry I am about all of this... If there was some other way, I..." Said MC softly. She really did feel badly about the whole situation, but what other options did she have? Rachael slumped slightly next to her. Before MC knew it she had been wrapped into an overly tight hug.

"Don't be, don't be sorry. I completely understand. You need to do this. I'm just going to miss you so damn much MC..." Said Rachael, squeezing her friend tightly.

MC hugged her friend back with just as much vigor as she could muster. Yoosung watched from the sidelines. He felt rather odd about the whole situation at hand. How would things have progressed between these two friends if he hadn't have intervened? Before he could delve too far into his hypothesis an arm waved him over towards the embrace happening before him. Rachael's arm protruded outwards towards him expectantly.

"Don't think I forgot about you. You're my friend too so don't think I'm not gonna miss you as well." She said to him, her arm waving slightly faster. Yoosung smiled and walked over towards the two friends of his. He mused that it must have been a good thing that he came to this world after all.

Work unfortunately, which she knew she should have suspected with her bad luck lately, had been anything but pleasant and MC couldn't wait to go home. It seemed the customers were collectively all having the worst day of their lives inside their diner. Or at least that's how it appeared. Poor Yoosung could barely keep up with all of the messes and dishes that just kept on piling up throughout the day. MC and Rachael also had their hands full themselves. It wasn't the first time MC had been cursed out for the majority of her day at work, and she groaned to think it probably wouldn't be her last. She just couldn't wrap her head around people could act so callously and without any regard for the person serving them behind the apron. She wasn't just some robot to yell at and throw orders too. Yes, taking orders was indeed her job, but she couldn't help but become frustrated whenever the customers became demanding or snapped their fingers at her. She was an employee, not a slave.

With how rough of a day it had been it took all of her energy to make it back up the stairs after driving all the way back to the house. Rachael had even called it an early night for herself which was a rare phenomenon. Yoosung agreed that the day had been beyond long and exhausting. The couple both couldn't look forward to laying back down in the bed together any more than they already did. It was definitely not something anyone should take for granted.

"Augh, I thought we were never going to make it back home." groaned MC as she flopped herself on top of the bed, not even bothering to move the covers out of the way first. Her face sunk into the pillow as she let out a deep sigh.

"Tell me about it." Agreed Yoosung, following suit. The sheets felt so soft against his face as he buried himself into the bed. His body felt exhausted from such a long day. He didn't even want to look at a rag again for the rest of his life. "I didn't think people could be so messy." Now that of course was a lie. He grimaced at himself as he remembered the state of his former living quarters. They hadn't exactly been the cleanest of places and he now regretted the state he had been keeping his life in way back then. He decided that the first thing he was to do when he got back home would be to give his entire home a good scrub down. It felt weird to even think that to himself but he could feel that he had changed. As long as he didn't find a cockroach again he believed he would be fine. Please lord don't let there be any cockroaches.

A sudden weight along his back brought him out of his bug filled thoughts and his eyes popped open in surprise. He looked to his side to see MC smiling over at him. Her arm lay across his back as she scooched herself up against his side. His mouth suddenly felt very dry.

"MC?" he asked cautiously. Normally he would have been more casual about his response but she had caught him off guard. He had been under the impression she was even more tired than he was. Blood pooled in his face as he felt her arm tighten around him as she hugged him close to her.

"What? I just wanted to cuddle with you." MC laughed. "You know, you've seemed really touchy lately. Are you doing okay? I haven't been too much have I?" Her eyes searched his as she questioned him. He could see that they were full of concern for him. It made his heart flutter against his ribs.

"Yeah," He replied with a thick swallow. "Just a little... um, sensitive I guess maybe." It was the truth after all. Her arms felt wonderful wrapped around him the way they were. He couldn't help but snake his around her as well, pressing their torsos together.

"Oh? Is that a bad thing? Or a good thing?" MC asked with a giggle. She figured she could already tell which of the two it was. It was pretty easy to tell when her boyfriend was feeling shy. Though right now there seemed to be something a little different in his eyes that she wasn't quite used to seeing. Though what that was exactly she wasn't sure.

"Well..." He mused. Yoosung wasn't really sure if he should be completely honest with her about it yet. He didn't know if he should tell her exactly how greedy she had started to make him feel. His mind was still torn. If only his heart would be quiet long enough for him to think about it properly then maybe he would be able to talk to her freely. In the midst of him thinking to himself however, MC seemed to have other plans in mind. Yoosung nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her lips press against his.

Warm, soft and oh so sweet. There was no way he could ever say no to a kiss from her. He felt as if his body was practically melting against hers as their lips melded together. His hands involuntarily grasped at the back of her shirt. The thoughts racing through his mind started to delve down again and something sparked inside of him As he pulled his lips away his eyes locked onto hers. She was flushed all over, a dazed look of happiness spread through her features. His heart skipped a beat at her smile and he felt himself moving forward without any will of his own.

Their lips met once again in a loving kiss, though softer than before. Sparks of pleasure seemed to flow between them every time he brought their lips back together. His hands explored her sides as he rolled himself over top of her. She shivered under his touch, his bravery only increasing as he held her close. There was so much he wanted to do to her, but he couldn't. Not just yet. He had to hold himself back. For right now though, he just couldn't seem to stop himself. He wanted to feel more of her.

Before he could even think about the consequences he pulled his lips away from her once more, peppering kisses along her jawline as one of his hands slid down along the side of her waist. He could feel the heat rising from her as he pressed his lips against her soft skin again and again. She felt so good against him. Without thinking he mindlessly grabbed onto her thigh as his lips melted against the soft skin of her neck,. Her pulse quickened beneath his kiss.

"Y-Yoosung-" Stuttered MC. One of her hands instinctively reached up to grasp at his golden locks. A small groan escaped him when he felt her pull at his hair. His lips parted against her, tasting her sweet flesh as his tongue gently lapped against her sensitive skin. MC shuddered against him.

It felt like her entire core was on fire. Where on earth had this come from? Not that she wasn't in absolute heaven of course. She could barely think. Her mind was hazing over completely. Wet kisses trailed down her neck and she sighed with pleasure, feeling every inch of her tingle where their bodies met. Everything was moving much faster than usual. He seemed so much... braver than before.

A plume of fire sprung from her insides as his hand slid underneath her shirt, his mouth still trained against the side of her neck. Her back arched up to meet his touch. Electricity danced between his fingertips and her skin as he glided his hand along her waistline. She shuddered again as her insides squirmed. A small moan escaped her lips when she felt his teeth graze lightly against her collarbone. Everything was spinning.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound roused them from their make-out session. MC's eyelids fluttered open as Yoosung jumped from surprise, completely knocked out of his stupor. His body felt hot and his mind particularly foggy. What possibly could have interrupted them?

Another loud buzz caught his attention and he looked over to see his phone had fallen out of his pocket and onto the floor during their little ordeal. How had he not heard that happen? He turned to see MC still blushing darkly beneath him. His insides flipped when she flashed him a dazed smile.

"You should... you should probably get that." She said weakly. Her body still felt like it was buzzing like a bunch of busy bees. Everything was so tingly.

Yoosung nodded, almost unable to take his eyes off of her. Unfortunately, he needed to remove himself from over top of her to reach his phone. His body felt oddly cold no longer being pressed against hers. He wished he could just ignore whatever message awaited him and continue what he had already been doing. There was no telling when his courage was going to appear so suddenly like that again.

As he reached for his phone his eyes opened wide. Seven's name had appeared in his notifications and he nearly dropped his phone in surprise, springing back up onto the bed. MC pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked over at him curiously. She brushed her disheveled hair out of her eyes before leaning closer.

"Who is it?" Asked MC as she composed herself. Her insides still felt a little fuzzy.

"It's Seven." replied Yoosung, quickly going into his messages. MC nearly fell back in shock.

"Seriously?" She exclaimed. "What did he say?"

Yoosung didn't answer immediately, holding up a finger instead as he began to read. It was quite a bit longer than he was used to and he didn't want to miss a single word.

"Yoosung! I have wonderful news for you! I spent nearly all my time on this, Ms. Vanderwood is a bit mad at how far behind I've fallen in my work as well because of it actually, but I 707 have finally done it! The calculations and the codes are all complete. Everything's ready for both of you! I don't know how but I finally made a breakthrough last night and everything just fell in place from there! You both can come home! Next week actually, exactly seven days from now. It's the only way it would work;; Don't ask me how because I don't really want to get into it. But Seven days from now at exactly midnight you guys are coming home!"

Yoosung grinned wide with excitement as he shoved his phone towards his girlfriend. MC gasped as she finished reading Seven's announcement. She couldn't believe it. It was really going to happen. Her head felt dizzy all of a sudden.

Another short buzz had them both look back to the phone curiously. It seemed Seven had sent a second message as well, though much shorter than the last. Yoosung wasn't nearly as prepared for what awaited him this time, however.

"There's just one little catch... I have to, uh... Blow up your phone."

He couldn't believe what he was reading.


	21. Chapter 21 Buildings

Chapter 21

Buildings

"Are you serious?" Exclaimed Rachael, her brows shooting upwards as her eyes stretched wide. MC and Yoosung both nodded reassuringly. The time had finally been announced. They only a week left before they would have to leave.

Rachael placed a hand to her forehead as she sank down into her recliner. All feeling seemed to have momentarily left her legs and she just couldn't will herself to stand any longer. The shock from this new revelation brought upon her had caught her totally off guard. She was having trouble processing it. One week? They would really both be gone in only a week? She knew it was going to be soon but she still couldn't believe it.

"Wow, I... I knew it was going to be soon but," started Rachael, pausing from her inner dilemma.

"I know, it all feels super surreal..." said MC. She flopped onto the couch with a sigh, Yoosung following her lead. His mildly clammy hand grasped hers as they sat together.

"It will be so nice to see all of my friends again," commented Yoosung. "But I'm going to miss you so much Rachael... You've been an absolutely amazing friend, to both me and to MC. I can't thank you enough for letting me stay in your own home with you like this. Is there anyway I could ever repay you? There must be something I could do in the time we have left together..."

As much as Yoosung missed his friends and family back home, he felt mildly torn about the whole situation. On one hand, he was beyond relieved that Seven had finally set a date for his return. Along with the fact he could actually bring his girlfriend with him was beyond wonderful to him. He would be able to introduce her to everyone, maybe even his parents. Unless it might be too early for that sort of thing? His mind wandered back to the day he had spent with MC in the graveyard. No, it was probably completely appropriate. But even with all of the things to look forward to once he got back home, he knew he was still going to miss Rachael dearly. She was probably one of the kindest people he had ever had the good fortune of meeting. It wasn't every day you met a person as thoughtful and generous a friend as her. MC truly had been lucky to find someone like her.

"No, like I've told MC countless times before you don't owe me anything for any of the things I do. I just like spending time with people is all..." insisted Rachael.

"Are you sure?" asked MC. "Maybe we could go out to eat together somewhere nice sometime this week? Somewhere other than work, of course. It could be my treat. I don't really have use for any of the money I have left really so, I wouldn't mind using it for us to do something fun and spend time together.

Rachael scrunched her face in though, pursing her lips to the side. The idea didn't exactly sound bad at all. She just wasn't exactly used to being treated by others. Usually she would just use some of the extra money her parents had given her that she had set aside left over after paying bills and what not. That or some of her extra tip money. It might be nice for a change to actually have someone else pay. Though of course, she mused, it might just be exactly the same as if her parents had been paying. Nonetheless, if it would make her friends feel less guilty over all she had done, she didn't see the harm in letting them take over for once.

"You know what? That actually sounds like a pretty good idea." Rachael said with a smile. "Where would you guys like to go?"

"Well, I kind of meant for you to pick a place." said MC with a laugh. "That's why I said it would be my treat."

"Why not a cafe?" Offered Yoosung, earning a jab in the side from MC. He couldn't help himself. It was one of the places he had been sincerely wanting to visit while he had been living in their world.

"Yoosung, I wanted Rachael to choose." MC whispered harshly to him. Rachael covered her mouth in a laugh.

"Actually, A cafe sounds like a wonderful idea! I haven't been to one of those in ages." Rachael laughed, smiling behind her hand. Yoosung gave a sheepish smile to MC who had thrown another pouting look his way. It looked like he would be able to go to one before he went back home after all.

"What day would we be able to go though?" asked MC as a realization came to her. "Do we even have a day off all together in the next week?" Rachael blew a raspberry and rolled her eyes.

"Work shmerk, you guys are way more important than that dingy old place." said Rachael. Truth be told, she couldn't give less of a damn about work. "You know what? I have a great idea. Why don't we all just quit. You guys are leaving anyway so it's not like you were going to stay much longer anyway, and I can't stand the place. So why not? We could all go up there right now and just stick it to Paul. It would be hilarious."

"But Rachael! What about your parents? I mean, Yoosung and I leaving I can see but don't they want you to keep this job?" said MC worriedly. Rachael shrugged.

"Psh, they just want me to have A job, they don't care what kind. Just until I finish college anyway. But that doesn't matter, I actually needed to talk to them in a few days. I didn't really get to bring it up yet because of all this mess but I found out they're going to be in town soon." said Rachael. MC blinked in surprise. She couldn't remember the last time Rachael's parents had been anywhere near them, much less the same town.

"They're coming here?" said MC, bewildered by the notion. "But they're never here!"

"What are you guy's talking about?" asked Yoosung. This felt like a pretty big deal. He knew her parents were involved in a cooperation, but the extent of his knowledge only came from what he'd learned about Jumin over the last couple of years. That wasn't exactly too much other than 'corporations are evil' and 'Jumin has no soul'.

"Rachael's parents work in a corporation that invests overseas so they tend to travel back and forth a lot. I can't remember the last time they were here." said MC, Rachael nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I found out about it last night actually. I've decided I want to sit down and have a talk with them about this whole... joining the company situation. I just... I'm just not feeling it. And I don't want to tie myself down to something like that that I know is just going to make my life miserable." said Rachael. She hung her head and sighed. "I just want them to understand where I'm coming from and accept me..."

"When are they going to be in town?" asked Yoosung.

"About six days from now..." Rachael replied, a tinge of guilt lacing her words. She felt as if it was cutting a little too close to the new events at hand. MC bit her lip and looked at the floor.

"But, hey you know, I could probably just email them or something. Time's too short to be thinking about cutting out an entire other day just for-" Rachael started.

"No, no way!" MC interrupted. "There's no way you should give up an opportunity like this. This is important for your future. You should go!"

"But-"

"No Rachael, she's right." said Yoosung, nodding to MC. "You shouldn't try to put others in front of something this important."

Rachael's face scrunched as she raised a finger to her lip. She really wanted to make up with her parents, but she didn't want to risk missing out on time with her two best friends. It wasn't exactly an easy decision to make. As she glanced up at her two friend's concerned faces however, she knew what she would have to do.

"Alright... I guess you're right. I'll have to be gone all day though... Are you sure you guys are okay with that?" Rachael asked uneasily.

"Of course!" said Yoosung reassuringly.

"Definitely." agreed MC. Rachael smiled and let out a long sigh.

"Okay, alright you win. But, the day after when I bring Buster home we have to do something super special alright? We have to spend the whole day together, up until the end okay?" Rachael said with a sad smile.

Both Yoosung and MC nodded at her proposal. They both wouldn't have it any other way

"You're quitting?! You can't be serious! This is absolutely outrageous, what am I supposed to do with almost a third of my day shift cut like this?"

Paul, the restaurant manager and owner, was going absolutely berserk at the news MC and her two friends had just delivered to him. They had finally agreed that it would be best for all of them to leave the establishment, seeing as they were already going to be going their separate ways soon Rachael's idea had seemed like a pretty good one after all. Plus, if MC was being honest with herself, she really couldn't stand being her any longer.

"With all due respect Paul, I don't really care." said Rachael with a shrug. It looked as if Paul was about to start steaming from the ears at her remark. MC didn't think she had ever seen him that angry. Not even back when she had had her incident and he had refused to call the police. Of course, it wasn't like she had any sympathy for the guy. With how he had treated her in her time of need, how he treated all of them in fact, she didn't really believe he deserved any respect from them at that point. He used to be such a nice guy when she first started. Lately, however, he just seemed so upset all the time. She would be happy to get out of here just because of that alone.

"How... how dare you! And after all I let you get away with you're going to talk to me like that? And as for you two," Paul seethed, his mustache quivering as he jabbed a boney finger in their direction. "I should would never have hired you had I known it would have led to this." Yoosung looked quite offended. MC was beside herself with shock. Even if they were leaving this place, was it really professional for someone to talk like that to someone?

"Well..." said Yoosung, gathering his words. "We wouldn't have to leave if you would have... would have taken better care of your employees!" He didn't feel like he was totally lying after all. He still held quite the grudge against him after how he had treated his precious MC.

"Excuse me?" Paul scoffed. He had had absolutely enough. "That's it, all three of you, out of my office! Now! I never want to see you back in this establishment again, do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." Rachael said with a tip of her imaginary hat. "Come on guys, lets get out of here."

As soon as they stepped outside of the restaurant MC let out a loud and exaggerated breath. She couldn't believe it was finally over. The stress she had been carrying since earlier that day seemed to melt away almost instantly. In fact, she would have to say she hadn't felt this good in months.

"So, you guys ready to go celebrate?" laughed Rachael, taking note of MC's happiness to be out of the diner at last.

"Oh definitely." nodded MC as she followed Yoosung and Rachael into the car. She took her usual seat next to her boyfriend and huffed, leaning almost all the way over top of him.

"I'm so glad to be out of there!" she exclaimed. Yoosung laughed and hugged her as they sat together.

"You and me both." said Yoosung, planting a kiss to the top of her head. MC giggled in response. "So, what are we going to do to celebrate?"

"Um, go to a cafe of course? Remember, it's MC's treat so get whatever you want!" Rachael laughed as she started to pull out of the parking lot.

"Hey now! Don't go tempting him, I don't want to go broke THAT fast!" MC shot back with a smirk. Yoosung playfully shoved her off of him in mock indignation. Rachael let out a snort from the front of the car and flashed a cheeky grin through her rear view mirror.

"MC!" Yoosung scoffed with a poorly hidden grin. "That's not very nice you know."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She laughed, moving closer to him and batting her eyelashes. "Would a kiss make up for it?"

"Hey now, no making out in my backseat, ya hear?" Rachael teased from the driver's seat. Unfortunately, she was a little too late. She let out a sigh and a small laugh. Oh well, what could you do?

"Oh wow, this is a little more expensive than I thought it would be... MC are you sure you're okay to pay for everything?" said Yoosung as he overlooked the cafe menu. Instead of a small cafe they had decided to go to one of the larger one's in town that doubled as a small restaurant. They had arrived only moments ago and had promptly found a booth table in one of the far corners. It would be easier not to be overheard by the rest of the customers if they were more secluded.

"Don't worry about it sweetie. This is probably one of the last times I'm going to be able to spend money like this and not worry." laughed MC, waving a hand. "I'm completely stress free when it comes to that. Besides, I can guarantee Rachael is going to wring me dry anyway, aren't you Rachael?" She laughed as her friend gave a cheeky smile, not even bothering to deny her friend's accusations. Because of course she was right.

"Oh, you know it. You should have already known the unspoken agreement that goes with taking me out for any kind of food MC. Your wallet is officially mine." Rachael said with a cliché evil laugh, resulting in a playful shove to the shoulder by MC.

"Okay, got it! So I can get whatever I want then!" smiled Yoosung. He immediately buried his face in the menu, followed by an eye-roll from his giggling girlfriend.

After a few minutes of talking among themselves and looking over their respective menus a waiter came to take their orders. True to her word, Rachael had ended up ordering about near half of the entire menu. MC could only blink in disbelief as her friend had read off her orders one by one. She could have sworn Rachael had given her a side glance as well towards the end. But, if it's really what her friend wanted to get, messing with her or not, then that's exactly what she was going to get. Besides, after all she had done for herself and Yoosung, this was the least she could do. Even if it was just for a laugh between friends. After all, when was she really ever going to get to do something as carefree as this with her friend again? With only seven days left, where one was already starting to come to a close, and another day and a half would be spent apart thanks to Rachael's need to reconcile with her parents along with Buster's vet appointment, she wanted to value what time she had left with her best friend. She only wished she would have spent more time with her before all of this.

Yoosung on the other hand had been a bit more modest with his order, only getting himself an extra sweet iced coffee that had looked interesting to him, and some ice cream for afterward. Even when MC had assured him he was free to get more if he so wanted to he had shaken his head. This was all he really wanted. Being here in this cafe with his love and one of the best friends he could ask for was more than enough. Both MC and Rachael had smiled at this sentiment. Of course, Rachael couldn't let the moment go without ruining it in some way or another and ended up teasing him. Not that he minded of course, he only pretended to. After years of dealing with Seven pranking him all the time, even if he didn't always know it at first, Rachael's actions were nothing in comparison. It was a familiar feeling that he dearly missed. Even if it did frustrate him every now and then.

Rachael smiled as she watched her MC and Yoosung chat happily to each other over their coffee and various treats littered about the table. Even if she had ordered half of the restaurant she hadn't really planned on eating it all on her own. Rather, it was for them all to have a piece of as they sat and talked about anything and everything that came to mind. That and she honestly couldn't resist the look on MC's face when she had been ordering. Rachael stifled a giggle and then sighed. She really was going to miss times like these.

As she watched her two friends talk she couldn't help but think of what life was going to be like once they really were gone. She supposed though that she would manage. This was for the best after all. Seeing the two seated across from her smile and blush as they talked about their memories of the apartment together she couldn't help but smile herself. She felt happy that her friend MC had finally found a person that appreciated her for who she was besides herself. Rachael knew she would be leaving her in more than capable hands when it was time to part ways. Her mind and heart could rest at ease with that fact at least. They seemed so happy together without a care in the world for the moment at least. She should really do something about that.

"So, when do you think you guys are gonna tie the knot and all?" Rachael asked nonchalantly while taking an innocent sip of her mocha coffee. Yoosung about spit his drink out in surprise while MC jumped with a squeak in her seat. Ah yes, exactly what she wanted to see. She had to keep them on their toes after all.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" sputtered MC, completely flabbergasted. Her face had become so hot she was surprised it hadn't spontaneously caught fire. Yoosung on the other hand was busy coughing up a lung along with the small amount of coffee he had accidentally inhaled in his outburst.

"I was just curious is all." Rachael shrugged. "Though since I won't get to be there, I do demand pictures. I know with that wacky phone connection thing you got going on from that Seven hundred guy that it's possible. I may not be able to physically be there but I want to FEEL like I was, okay?"

"D-don't you, ah, think its a little early to be talking about that?" asked Yoosung with a flustered expression. His eyes were darting all over the table, unable to raise his eyes from the embarrassment. MC nodded in agreement.

"Oh please, you guys are literally going to, and have already, traversed dimensions to be together. I didn't think it was all that far off the table." Rachael laughed. "Of course, I guess that would be considered step three... and you two still haven't even gotten past step two have you? Hm maybe you're right."

"Step two...?" asked MC, her eyebrows pulling together. What on earth was she going on about this time. It seemed her boyfriend had figured it faster than she had however from the look of panic on his face.

"Yeah, step two. Yoosung, have you still not gotten to that yet?" asked Rachael curiously. Yoosung looked mortified. "I mean that's okay if so, but do remember what I told you alright?" she finished with a wink

MC felt more confused than ever. Had her friend and boyfriend been talking about secret things without her? And what did she even mean by step two? Did she mean a proper date or something? Because it wasn't her fault they hadn't been able to do that yet. With all that had been happening through the last month there really hadn't been time. Especially because they had really only been dating for around half of it or so.

Yoosung's heart felt like it was going to pop out of his chest. Why was Rachael so casually trying to talk about him and MC having sex right now? He sincerely hoped MC hadn't figured out what Rachael was trying to get at. His stomach twisted in knots at the very thought of it. He wasn't even sure if she wanted to do something like that with him yet. Wasn't it still too early? But with the way Rachael talked about it, she made it seem like it was no big deal at all. It was to him though. He didn't want her to feel like he was rushing things. Of course, it wasn't just that.

He was scared.

It wasn't like he had ever done something like that before with someone else. What if he was awkward? Or bad at it? What if she didn't like him any more afterward? Sure they had had plenty of make out sessions leading up until now but that wasn't even comparable. There wasn't any end goal or any kind of pressure to perform. He could just let himself go sometimes when they were just kissing. He had to admit that the last time he had gotten a bit more handsy than he usually did. Something had just sparked inside of him that he couldn't quite seem to control. He had surprised even himself if he was being honest. But sex? That was light years away from just harmless kissing.

His mind was plagued with endless worry after worry. He just wanted to make her happy. Was she even ready for as big of a commitment as that? The thought that she was already risking her entire life just to follow him back to where he came from, literal worlds apart from his own flashed through his mind. He shook his head. That was different. This was on a completely different field than that. He glanced over to see MC looking to Rachael with a suspicious stare. It seemed she hadn't realized what their overly forward friend was going on about for now.

"Rachael, please." said Yoosung, very red in the face. Rachael smirked and shook her head with a small sigh.

"Alright, alright I'll drop it for now." said Rachael calmly. MC looked back and forth between her boyfriend and best friend. Something definitely felt fishy right now and she was going to find out about it.

"No, wait I want to know what's going on." MC pressed, leaning over the table a little. Rachael let out a snort as Yoosung's lips tightened. This wasn't want he needed right now. She was going to give him a heart attack without even realizing it.

"MC, I don't really-" started Yoosung, his anxiety growing.

"Sorry MC, can't tell you I'm afraid. My lips are sealed." said Rachael. Her hand reached up to pull an imaginary zipper across her lips, causing MC to pout in frustration. "It's a surprise."

MC looked at her friend unsurly, raising an eyebrow. Yoosung was busy trying to keep himself composed for now. All of this talk was making him think about things he wasn't exactly comfortable about imagining in a public setting. Not that it was his fault after all, he blamed Rachael entirely.

"Seriously?" asked MC, looking over to Yoosung for confirmation. He jumped a little in his seat. Blood pooled in his cheek as he tried to clear his throat, his mind racing as it tried to find something, anything to respond with.

"Uh... y-yeah. Sorry. I, uh, can't say anything about it." Yoosung stuttered. He was starting to feel pretty embarrassed. He wanted to seem more manly than this. Why did he have to always get so nervous over this type of thing? Where was the cool, suave Yoosung he so desperately desired to be? Unfortunately that part of him just didn't want to come out any time soon. Or just didn't exist, a not so helpful part of his brain decided to point out. This wasn't the time for that kind of talk, he snapped at himself. Fortunately MC seemed to give for now and gave a small huff of resignation.

"Oh, alright. Fine, you guys win. Are you happy now?" pouted MC, crossing her arms for good measure. This wasn't helping Yoosung's issue at, unfortunately. How could someone look so cute even when they were trying to act mad? At least, he hoped she wasn't actually mad.

"All of this weird talk made my stomach feel weird." she said, making a face. "I have to go to the bathroom, alright? I'll be back in a second."

Oh boy he really hoped she wasn't upset with him. As he watched her head to the back of the cafe where the restrooms were however he caught Rachael smirking at him. Why was she always making that face at him for?

"Don't worry about her, she's fine. She's not mad." Rachael assured him. Yoosung let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "MC always gets like that when you tease her too much. She'll be fine. But, now that she's gone for a minute, you do remember what I told you right?"

Yoosung raised a questioning brow at her. Was she still trying to talk about the conversation topic from before? What was he supposed to be remembering? He was still trying to actively forget all of what just happened.

"I... I have no idea." he admitted, not really knowing if he wanted her to tell him whatever it was.

"Just reminding you about the bedside table is all." she remarked with a wink. The talk of condoms resurfaced in his mind a fresh wave of blood flooded his entire face.

"RACHAEL!" he yelled in embarrassment.

"Oh, good! You do remember!."

Why did she have to be like this?


	22. Chapter 22 Release

Chapter 22

Release

Time. There never seemed to be enough when you wanted it. Though, when you'd find yourself wishing nothing but for things to pass by quickly, it would be there. Always watching and waiting. Drowning you in its excess. If you wished to capture it, however, it would become as slick as sand, seeping between your fingertips. Time never truly seemed to be on anyone's side. It seemed almost against humanity from the start.

As MC sat at her best friend's kitchen table that dreary morning, she found that she honestly didn't know what would prefer at this point. Did she want things to move quickly, to hurry until the point that everyone around her was headed towards? Or did she want time to stop entirely? To just let her sink there in that moment, freeze it if you will, and let her bask in these last precious moments forever. No matter how much she tossed the idea in her head she just couldn't make up her mind. The right answer just didn't exist to her.

In response to her musings, time had decided to pass in a way she couldn't comprehend. It both felt as if just yesterday she had been staring at her phone, sitting with eyes full of tears back at her apartment before any of this mess happened, and it also felt as if she had been experiencing this her entire life. Her friends, both close to her in their own special way, felt as if they'd been by her side forever and a year ago. And yet she felt as if she had just met them only yesterday. Her insides squirmed as she pondered these thoughts. Everything seemed so unreal.

It was a mere two days before her departure and she still couldn't manage to wrap her mind around it. Before it had seemed only natural that she should accompany Yoosung. The idea of traversing dimensions, never to return, had seemed like such a wonderful fantastic idea indeed. She looked languidly around at the kitchen surrounding her. This place would soon become nothing but a distant memory, buried in the depths of her mind. Her eyes met the counter, a memory resurfacing. Another flickered behind the first until a sea of thoughts flooded her mind. Soon those memories would exist solely in a place completely unattainable for the rest of their lives.

Her gaze shifted to the window. The sunlight leaked weakly into the room as she splayed herself over her chair, arms resting on the table before her. She spread her fingers over the smooth wood, pressing her palm against the cool surface. Would things feel different where she was going? Would she ever experience a similar sensation such as this? Or was she thinking about it too deeply? Truthfully, she couldn't really tell.

"MC?" said a soft voice from the doorway. MC lolled her head sleepily to the side to see her friend Rachael leaning against the door frame. She looked perplexed. "I didn't think you'd be up this early."

"Couldn't sleep very well." MC replied in a similar tone.

Rachael studied her friend with curious eyes before pulling up a seat beside her. Without saying a word she gently wrapped an arm around MC's shoulder. They sat like that for a few minutes, neither saying a word but simply enjoying the others' comfort. Rachael had known MC for quite some time now and knew by now when her friend was having a hard time. With what was supposed to happen tomorrow, she couldn't exactly blame her.

She sighed as she looked at the clock hanging from the wall. Her parents would be waiting for her to arrive a little over two hours from now. If only things could've been timed differently. Then again, thins never did seem to work out the way you want them to all the time. Time simply did as it wanted, never bending to any persons' will no matter how strongly they wished it to. Tomorrow would be the last time she would ever get to see her best friend again. Both of her best friends in fact. Her heart weighed heavily in her chest and she let out a sigh.

"MC, are you sure you still want me to go? I could cancel and just reschedule next time they're in town..." said Rachael softly, rubbing her hand comfortingly against MC's back. MC shook her head sternly.

"No. Rachael, you need to do this. You've got to tell them how you really feel. They're your parents... And I hate the way you said that. Reschedule. You make it seem like they would make their own daughter make an appointment just to see them..." said MC coldly. The look on her friend's face didn't comfort her worries in the slightest. "They didn't, did they?"

"Well... I did have to find a day in their schedule that was actually free so, in a way, yeah. But that's not entirely their fault. Their job is extremely demanding." said Rachael. As much as her parents aggravated her to no end she still couldn't help herself from defending them. A part of her didn't even know if she truly believed herself as she spoke those words. There was no denying that her relationship with her parents wasn't exactly what one would call normal. However, it was all she had ever known. Even if they could be absolutely infuriating at times, she still loved them.

"I just hope you can get everything resolved with them." said MC after a moment. "What time will you be home?"

"Probably not until after you guys have already gone to bed. I have to go up to my college and talk to the councilors about changing my major once I'm done meeting with my parents. I'll have to figure out what classes I'll have to take, and if I have to transfer to another school or not. Plus I'm sure my parents are going to blow a gasket when I tell them what I'm doing so I'll probably have to stop by the bank. I may need to get a loan... But, there really isn't any other choice at this point. I've made up my mind and I'm going to stick to it." Rachael said matter of factly. MC smiled, glad for her friend's determination. She always knew Rachael should've gone into cooking instead of business. The only thing they could hope for would be for Rachael's parents to finally see this as well. She just wasn't cut out for a business life.

MC pursed her lips for a moment before something sparked behind her eyes. She offered a childish smirk before extending her pinky to her friend. Rachael raised an eyebrow at her.

"Promise we'll all hang out all day tomorrow then? As soon as you get back from Buster's vet appointment?" said MC, wiggling her pinky at Rachael. Rachael blinked in surprise before letting out a small laugh. She locked her pinky with MC's and gave it a light shake.

"Yeah, I promise." Rachael smiled. Her friend was such a dork.

Yoosung awoke with a start. What time was it? He didn't oversleep did he? As he rolled over on his side he noticed MC was no longer lying beside him. Mentally cursing himself he rolled to his other side, grabbing his phone off of the bedside table. After quickly confirming the time, already a little past noon, he set it back down in its place. He sighed before rubbing his eyes vigorously. Even though he had had more than enough sleep he still felt rather tired. Had all the stress building in anticipation for tomorrow worn him out this much? He let out a long yawn before his eyes settled on the bedside table once again. A deep flush coursed through his face. Damn it Rachael.

"Well hello there, sleepy-head." laughed MC as Yoosung made his way into the living room. He gave a sheepish smile before flopping beside her on the couch.

"Ng... Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked as he leaned into her. He was so used to waking up next to her lately that not seeing her face or smelling her scent when he first woke up had been quite disappointing to him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling a smile out of her. This was much better.

"You looked so cute when you were sleeping, I didn't want to bother you." said MC, leaning into him as well. It was nice being able to just relax together without the constant possible threat of their friend's teasing voice around every corner. She let herself sink into his embrace and closed her eyes.

Rachael had been gone for quite a few hours by this point so they were indeed all alone. Their encounter this morning had been replaying inside MC's mind all day. She still felt rather sad about the whole ordeal, though she was starting to come to terms with things. That didn't stop the small frown from pulling at the corners of her lips, however. Yoosung seemed to take notice almost immediately.

"MC? Are you alright? What's wrong?" He asked, sitting up slightly to look her in the eyes with concern. MC bit her lip before turning away slightly.

"I don't know... I just feel kind of... sad I guess." MC admitted. Yoosung frowned to match her own. "Tomorrow is my last day here..."

Yoosung's frown deepened. He felt rather guilty because of her words. It was his fault she was feeling this way after all. He sincerely hoped she wasn't forcing herself to do something she didn't want to. His heart clenched in his chest.

"I'm sorry... MC, you... you don't have to-"

"No!" she almost shouted in surprise. "Don't say that. I want to go with you. Please don't feel badly, I'm just... going through something is all. I want more than anything to spend my life with you. This is honestly a dream come true. I love you, Yoosung." She hugged him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. He pulled her closer in return, the same look of concern never leaving his face.

"I love you too MC... I know this must be very hard on you, and I'm sorry." said Yoosung, hugging her tighter. He wished there was an easier solution to all of this. Unfortunately, as hard as he tried to think of one, none would come to mind. Either way someone was going to be upset. It really was true what they say. You could never make everyone happy.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Yoosung." said MC pulling away from him for a moment. "I wouldn't trade the time I've spent with you for anything. You... you can't even imagine how I feel about having you here. It's completely surreal, and yet, I feel like this is how it was supposed to be all along."

Yoosung's heart lightened at her words. He had never had anyone speak so kindly to him before. This is something he had wanted so desperately for such a long time. Having someone be so open to him, caring for him so fondly. It was probably the best feeling he had ever had in his entire life. He couldn't help but hug her tightly all over again. She let out a small laugh.

"I feel the same about you. I've never felt like this about someone before. This feeling I get when I'm with you, I can't even describe it. It makes my head swim and my heart feel as if it's going to fly out of my chest. But, I love every second of it. I never want to be away from your side." he said, burying himself into her embrace.

MC smiled and returned his gesture. No matter what happened, being with him always seemed to wipe the worries from her mind. She truly felt at peace whenever they were together. Perhaps she was just overthinking her situation. Of course, she always would be partially sad about it. Though who wouldn't be? It was only natural in this, albeit highly unnatural, situation. She felt more confident in her decision than she had before. Even if things would be tough at first, at least she would always have Yoosung there to keep her sane and happy through it all. She really did love him. So very much.

"Yoosung?" she asked quietly.

"Hn?-" his voice had been cut off by her lips. He blinked in surprise before leaning into her kiss.

MC giggled into his lips before parting from him. She smiled when her eyes landed on his goofy blushing face. He always looked adorable whenever she surprised him like that. Though this time she would say he looked even cuter than usual. She felt her heart flutter as she looked at his pink stained face and leaned in once more, effortlessly capturing his lips in another kiss. A small noise fell from his throat as he lost himself interlocked with her.

Yoosung's pulse accelerated as he kissed her. His emotions swirled around inside of his gut, a strange shiver overtaking him for just a moment. He had never felt this good than when he was with her. He never wanted this to end. However, as always, their kiss seemed to end much too soon.

"I... want to kiss you more..." he sighed, his eyes half lidded. His throat tensed as he swallowed nervously. He never knew why he always had to get so shy whenever he said things like that. But he needed to. He needed to feel her lips on his again.

Without even a reply MC gladly granted his wish, snaking her arms around him as well and pulling him close to her. She felt him shiver against her and smirked. A sudden burst of courage filled her chest and she smirked. Carefully, she slipped her tongue between her lips to glide along his, rousing another shiver from her now captive boyfriend.

His head was spinning as his heart hammered under his ribs. Every little thing she did seemed to send him into a tizzy. He unconsciously clenched his hands on the back of her shirt, pressing his chest against hers. Something was slowly starting to bubble inside him. He kissed her back with more enthusiasm, moving his lips with hers.

"Ng, wait." said MC a little breathlessly. Yoosung was worried he may have done something wrong but soon realized that wasn't the case. MC rubbed her back sorely. "Maybe we should uh... take this back to our room? The arm rest is digging into my back." she finished with a small laugh. Yoosung sighed in relief before his eyes shot open wide. Did she say back to the room? As in bedroom? As in bed? He started feeling hot under his collar and swallowed thickly before nodding. He needed to calm down, Rachael had really messed with his head.

*-*-To see the unedited version please see AO3, story name and author are the same-*-*

MC sighed happily. This was much better than before. Her arms hooked securely around her boyfriend as they lay on the bed together. They had opted to lying comfortably for a little while. MC was just happy to spend some relaxing time with him. No worries to think of. At least not right now anyway. She shoved her impending issue for tomorrow out of her mind and clutched onto Yoosung more, her head resting gently on his chest. He was probably the best pillow she could ever ask for. She was so happy he was really here with her. And now they would never need to be apart ever again. Even the fabric of space and time hadn't been able to keep them apart, she thought to herself with a laugh. She felt completely safe lying there with him. Though for some reason, he himself seemed to be a little antsy on the other hand.

She could hear his heart pounding inside his chest as she laid her head on him. MC wasn't quite sure why he was so nervous all of a sudden. She felt fine herself. Much better than she had in awhile, in fact. Though his feelings were starting to become contagious as she felt a strange prickling sensation slide down her skin. It was then that she noticed his hand on her waist. Was that what he was so nervous about? He did get embarrassed easily after all.

"Yoosung?" MC asked curiously. She felt him shift underneath her and his heart speed up.

"Yes, MC?" he replied, his voice cracking slightly. He was trying desperately to control his breathing as they laid on the bed together but his imagination had been getting the better of him. It was so hard not to think about those kinds of things when her body was pressed up against him like this. Yoosung hoped she hadn't noticed the problem he was having right now, as long as he kept his legs together hopefully he would be okay. It was starting to hurt though...

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked with concern. Yoosung's eyes flickered away from her view as he looked towards the wall. A deep flush had blossomed on his face, his ears darkening as well.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Never better." he laughed nervously. MC scrunched her eyebrows together and pouted her lips before sliding up on him to look him in the face. She felt him shiver under her again. Was he afraid of something?

"You don't seem fine, are you sure? Your face is all red..." MC pointed out. She didn't want to outright say he looked embarrassed but it was quite obvious at this point. He shifted his legs and looked over to her.

"Um, promise you won't be upset first..." He said, his flush growing deeper. She looked confused. What would she have to be upset at him about?

"Yoosung, I could never be upset at you. You know that." said MC, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek lovingly. Her thumb stroked his face making his eyes flutter shut against his will, a light sigh escaping his lips. He felt his lower half twitch and shuddered. Why on earth was he so sensitive right now?

"Okay..." he conceded, unable to think straight when every inch of her was touching him like this. He felt like he was suffocating, but in a good way. The air felt thick in his foggy haze. "I've just been... thinking about things is all."

"Things? What kind of things? Is it about tomorrow?" asked MC. She felt pretty oblivious now. What could he be... wait. Was it what she thought it was?

"Just... things. You've been very, uh, touchy lately." he admitted, still not able to meet her gaze. "I'm... I've been, imagining things, about us..." It felt as if all of the blood in his body was rushing into his face from finally uttering those words aloud. Well, most of it anyway.

"Oh..." said MC with a heavy blush of her own. So that had been it, She was right. Her heart thumped inside her at the thought. This wasn't even something she was upset about. Actually, it felt kind of exciting. That and nerve wracking at the same time. She had been thinking similar things since before she even knew the guy. Well, knew physically if she really wanted to be technical about it.

"You mean, you were thinking of," she started, glancing downwards in embarrassment. What met her eyes however didn't alleviate that embarrassment at all, unfortunately. "Oh!"

Yoosung crossed his legs with a squeak and rolled onto his side, effectively pulling himself out from under MC's torso. She landed somewhat ungracefully back onto the bed in surprise.

"I'm sorry!" He shrieked from the ball he now morphed himself into. MC blinked a few times before letting out a laugh at the sight before her.

"Yoosung! Yoosung, it's okay! Don't worry, I'm not upset or anything please come back." she pleaded. "I'm cold."

Yoosung stayed quiet for a moment, willing for himself to build the courage to turn around. It felt as if snakes had replaced his insides. Everything felt twisted, wriggling endlessly inside of him. He needed to relax. Finally, with a deep breath, he forced himself to roll back over slowly.

"A-are you sure? It's not... a bad thing or anything? You don't think I'm gross or... dirty?" he asked hesitantly. His legs still remained intertwined nervously. He desperately didn't want her to look. It was embarrassing. At the same time, however, the prospect was mildly exciting. It felt like static was filling his system.

"Yeah, it's okay. I've uh," said MC, her time to feel anxious finally rearing its head. "I've thought about that stuff too..." she finished quietly. Yoosung's cheeks burned. She had thought about him like that too? So she had imagined them doing... oh wow.

"Really?" he asked, his voice almost sounding in awe. His courage was slowly building with this new found knowledge. So it was okay for them to feel this way? He wondered if maybe... maybe he really could...

"Yeah..." she said. Talking about it so openly made her throat tighten and her cheeks burn. Her confidence from before was waning slightly by the second. She didn't know if she had it in her to tease him like she had been earlier with her body feeling like this.

"I... can I ask what you thought about?" he asked quietly, barely above a whisper. MC looked over to him, her cheeks ablaze. He looked almost in awe at her, like he had never seen something so beautiful before. Her eyes darted down again shyly.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressed-"

"I thought about your hands..." she replied. Yoosung's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to answer him after that. His heart leaped into his throat. "...and your mouth... and..."

MC felt as if every cell inside of her was screaming right now. She had never uttered anything even close to this before. Even though her friend had had to have, perhaps she would call them vulgar, conversations similar to this she could never muster the courage to voice her thoughts on things. As usual, however, things felt different with Yoosung. She wanted to tell him.

"I thought about that kind of stuff too," said Yoosung catching his breath. Seeing her look so innocent like this had made a fire start inside him. He couldn't stop himself from moving closer to her, his mind no longer even registering his growing problem down below. In fact, part of him practically welcomed it. "I thought about how your lips felt on my neck... since you kissed me there the first time... and... how it might feel in other places." he finished in a whisper. The only thing keeping his courage to speak such things from snapping was watching how his words affected the woman before him. He felt almost powerful for once.

MC's blush deepened, seeping down onto her chest. Warmth pulsed through her core at his confession. Every breath she took seemed to cloud her mind further. The air felt thicker than normal. As she looked over towards Yoosung she saw a look in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. She had only seen that look one other time. That was back right before Seven contacted them. The thought of what might have happened had Seven not interrupted them flashed through her mind.

"Could I kiss you?" Yoosung asked softly, his eyes seeming almost hungry as he brought himself closer to her. He could feel the heat radiating off of her and it made his insides clench in the best of ways. MC licked her lips unconsciously, unable to look away from his stare before nodding slowly.

Without any hesitation Yoosung pulled her into him, pressing his lips against her own. He breathed deeply. Her scent filled his head, the strong smell of strawberries only enticing him further. A new feeling drowned out the anxious inner voice he always seemed to carry around, filling him with a new sense of confidence. He wanted to feel her more.

MC clung onto her boyfriend as his lips enraptured her own. Her head was spinning as she tried her best to move her mouth with his. The world was frozen all around her. Time had stopped. The only thing that existed was this moment. They were utterly alone.

*-*-End of edit-*-*

"I'm... I'm sorry..." He panted. "I couldn't, hold on. You feel so... so good." he shivered, arms still held tightly around her as he twitched happily. MC panted right alongside him and held him just as tightly, still reeling from all the sensations she had experienced. She felt absolutely wonderful.

"Don't be. It's fine" she laughed breathlessly. "That felt... amazing." she finished with a shiver. She didn't care if it wasn't as extravagant as people always said, she had finally connected with the person she loved most in life and couldn't feel any happier about it. It felt like her heart had sprouted wings.

"Yoosung, I love you. I love you so much." said MC seriously, looking into her boyfriend's eyes. He looked back at her, his pupils still blown wide and his lids weighing heavily on him. A wide grin pulled at his lips and he leaned in to give her one more kiss.

"I love you too MC, with all of my heart. I'm so lucky to have you." he said, happiness exuding from his very being. He had never felt this good in his life.

Things really were going to be alright. As long as they had each other they would be able to do anything. MC was completely sure of this now. She had never felt more sure in her entire life. Now, after all of her worrying, she really felt at peace. She was ready to leave with him tomorrow. Whatever life would decide to throw at them, she knew they would be ready to overcome anything.

After a shower of course.


End file.
